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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 3rd May 2022
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British Hedgehog Preservation Society celebrates 40 years
"A little effort from each of us could make life a lot easier for hedgehogs" - Fay Vass, chief executive, BHPS.
To mark the anniversary, the charity is asking people to 'do their bit' for hedgehogs. 

The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) is celebrating its 40th anniversary over this year's Hedgehog Awareness Week (1 – 7 May 2022).

In celebration of its landmark anniversary, the charity is asking members of the public to 'grant some hedgehoggy birthday wishes', to support the UK's hedgehog population. 

Some suggestions the charity has provided are making hedgehog highways in fences, creating square gaps in the bottom of fences or walls to allow hedgehogs to pass through, creating an undisturbed log pile to provide shelter and food for hedgehogs and building a hedgehog home.

Other ideas the charity has offered for celebration include leaving out water and meaty dog or cat food, checking carefully before mowing or strimming, ditching pesticides and poisons, ensuring that all ponds and pools have a way for hedgehogs to easily get out, creating a wild corner in the garden and joining the BHPS. 

In a news release, the charity shared the heartwarming story of its founding: “It all began when Adrian (Major Adrian Coles MBE) found a hedgehog in a cattle grid on his land; he rescued it using a saucepan and then realised that if there hadn’t been a Major on hand with kitchenalia, the hedgehog would not have survived! 

“He used his position as a County Councillor at the time to get Shropshire Council to install escape ramps in all its grids. 

“The resulting publicity was so vast that he realised there was a great appetite to help the humble hedgehog in the UK; and so, the Society was founded.”

Fay Vass, chief executive of BHPS, commented: “Hedgehogs are struggling and mostly that’s due to human activity; these small actions can help a great deal - a little effort from each of us could make life a lot easier for hedgehogs! 

“If you don’t have a garden yourself, you can still help by contacting public space managers, neighbours, family and friends to ensure they are doing their bit.”

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here. 

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News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.