news story

6th March 2007

HEDGEHOG RESCUER AND LOCAL MP JOIN FORCES

Yvonne Cox, Steve Webb MP and 'Semolina' the hedgehog.
 

Northavon MP Steve Webb is giving his backing to a new campaign to improve the welfare of hedgehogs in response to a campaign by local resident Yvonne Cox. Yvonne, who runs Hedgehog Rescue from her home in Yate, has put together two petitions, each with hundreds of signatures, in support of changes which will improve the welfare of hedgehogs.

One is to persuade manufacturers of canned products such as six-packs of lager to stop using plastic ring holders to keep the six-packs together. When these plastic connectors are thrown away, they often end up as litter and hedgehogs can easily get caught in them and suffer as a result. Ms. Cox has been campaigning over a period of several years to get manufacturers to think again about other ways of keeping cans together, and she is hopeful that her latest petition will raise awareness of the issue.

The other campaign is for action to reduce the frequency with which fireworks are let off. Ms. Cox reports that inconsiderate use of fireworks, setting them off at any time of day or night, causes considerable distress to the hedgehogs that she cares for.

Steve Webb said:

"Yvonne Cox is well known throughout the area for her care and concern for hedgehogs and is right to raise these issues. Where plastic rings are discarded they cause unnecessary suffering to hedgehogs. Given that some manufacturers have found alternative ways of keeping drinks cans together, there is no reason why others should not follow suit.

"I also recognise the distress that inconsiderate use of fireworks causes not just to hedgehogs but to a whole range of domestic animals. Although the law has been tightened in recent years, I still receive a number of complaints about fireworks, and it would certainly be worth looking at whether the new arrangements are having the desired effect".

The MP said he would be passing on the petitions to the relevant Government ministers and would be reporting back to Yvonne Cox with the response that he received.