A WOMAN who thought she had rescued a baby hedgehog later discovered she had instead just been nursing a woolly bobble off a hat.
The vet who received the fluffy headpiece said she has ‘never seen anything like it’ in her five years working at the animal hospital.
A caring rescuer had brought the plush pom-pom to Lower Moss Wood Nature Reserve and Wildlife Hospital in Cheshire, concerned that it hadn’t moved in hours.
Janet Kotze, the vet who received the headwear, told the Independent: “She was an older lady, maybe sixties or seventies, well-spoken and well-meaning. She said she could see something on the roadside that looked like a hedgehog.
“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.”
Dr Kotze recognised immediately that it wasn’t a hedgehog.
“It was pretty obvious to us but I can also see how she was mistaken,” the vet added. “I went back out and explained, ‘I’m sorry it’s just a bobble.’
“She said: ‘You’re joking! Oh my goodness, how did I do that?’
“She was so concentrated on doing the right thing. She was concerned it hadn’t moved or even pooed. That would be spooky if it had.”
The wildlife hospital 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.
“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!”
“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.”
And if someone tells you they’ve spotted a hedgehog during the day, check that they haven’t been drinking, and that’s it’s not a bobble first.
Rescued baby hedgehog turns out to be hat bobble – BBC News https://t.co/UF2V7usRPp
— Professor Lucy Easthope (@LucyGoBag) March 26, 2024
