The inanimate object was brought to the Lower Moss Nature Reserve and Wildlife Hospital by a conscientious member of the public last week.
The “hedgehog” that was rushed to emergency care.Lower Moss Wood Nature Reserve& Wildlife Hospital
But upon arrival at the facility in Knutsford,Cheshire,volunteers realised the hoglet was a “faux furry friend”.
Dr Janet Kotze,the vet on shift,said an elderly lady brought it in after spotting “something that looked like a hedgehog” on the roadside.
Hedgehogs are stout furry mammals no more than a kilogram in weight,with spiky quills on their back.
Kotze toldThe Independent:“From a distance you take it at face value. She didn’t handle it at all,she scooped it in a box with some cat food and left it alone in a warm,dark place. She did everything so well. She barely peeked at it because she didn’t want to stress it out.”
Kotze quickly realised the item in the box was a hat,not an animal. She said:“It was pretty obvious to us but I can also see how she was mistaken. I went back out and said:‘I’m sorry it’s just a bobble.’
“She said:‘You’re joking! Oh my goodness,how did I do that?’ ”
The 57-year-old volunteer said she had “never seen anything like it” in five years working at the facility.
The rescue centre later posted a photograph of the bobble on social media,showing it nestled in a box beside a bowl of food.
The charity wrote on Facebook:“Our hearts melted as a kind soul thought she was rescuing a baby hedgehog,only to discover it was a fluffy pom-pom from a bobble hat. This adorable ‘hoglet’ still got all the love,complete with some cosy TLC.
A hedgehog.Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert/dpa via AP
“Remember,kindness knows no bounds,even when it’s to a faux furry friend! Sometimes,even the most heart-warming stories start with a hilarious twist!”
It added:“Please remember,if you spot a hedgehog out during the day,it’s a sign something’s not right. Pop them in a box with a warm source and seek help from your local vets.”
The Telegraph,London
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