Petition: Give the hedgehog better legal protection in order to reverse its decline

[MyNameIsTerry]

Hi all,

I joined Hedgehog Street last year. I see hedgehogs on my walks at night and I came across them due to a "hedgehog map" where people can record sightings. The site also gives useful information on how to make our gardens more accessible to them, after all they are good for the garden as they love chomping down on slugs.





If you feel like supporting hedgehogs, there is a petition raised by Oliver Colvile MP to:

The petition of the residents of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland declares that the British hedgehog population has declined by up to a third over the last 10 years.

The petitioners therefore urge the House of Commons to endorse the practical supporting measures of 'Hedgehog Street' and ensure the hedgehog is given better legal protection including adding it to Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act by the Government and in particular the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

If you wish to sign it, the petition is here:

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/121264





Currently there are 37, 604 signatures but they want 100,000 to raise the issue for debate in Parliament. Sadly, they have rejected the proposal up to this point...they would prefer to wait until there is no choice anymore and hedgehogs get declared an endangered species. Not very forward thinking and somewhat the opposite of the commitment to preserve animal species!

(GB & NI only)

[Carnation]

I will do my best to get the signatures bumped up Terry. x

[Mojo61]

Signed, and shared on my Facebook page.

---------- Post added at 12:48 ---------- Previous post was at 12:11 ----------

Goodness, I'm getting a lot of flack from people saying cull more badgers as they are killing all the hedgehogs!

[Carnation]

bump

[BikerMatt]

Signed

[MyNameIsTerry]

Thanks for your support everyone!

Mojo - don't let anyone upset you, take it off if you need to. I don't believe in badger culling, despite what the government said it didn't work. Didn't the MP in charge at the time complain the badgers had "moved the goalposts"? Which I translate into "loads of experts and politicians outwitted by some small furry mammals".

[Shazamataz]

I LOVE hedgehogs! We have them over here as one of your lot brought them over at some stage during colonial times.

Unfortunately my dog does not love hedgehogs. She doesn't hurt them but if one turns up in the garden she goes completely mental, barking like a complete nutter. I had to fence off my back garden so I can block access for the dogs at night (they sleep inside but have a dog door in case of needing to wee) as the neigbourhood does not need woken at 1, 2, or 3 am! Me either!

[MyNameIsTerry]

They are very cute, Shaz. Some don't even seemed bothered and just keep snuffling through the grass with you standing next to them.

Dogs do have their funny habits. Mine does that with the hoover. He used to do it with the yard brush too. And for some reason he jumps on spiders and squashes them with his nose but doesn't eat them?!!!

[Shazamataz]

They are very cute, Shaz. Some don't even seemed bothered and just keep snuffling through the grass with you standing next to them.

Dogs do have their funny habits. Mine does that with the hoover. He used to do it with the yard brush too. And for some reason he jumps on spiders and squashes them with his nose but doesn't eat them?!!!

Dogs sure are funny creatures! Interestingly a couple of times we've seen hedgehogs when we are out and Lola doesn't even look at them. I think it's only a problem when they are intruders! Unfortunately they can't read, otherwise I'd put up a sing warning them to keep out - haha.

Don't get me started on the hoover. It's obviously only here to kill us all!

[MyNameIsTerry]

Ah, it's a territory thing then. Like dogs that bark at anyone on the property but not when they are being walked.

We used to have one of those hoovers with a smiley face on it but it turned out to be a thing about all hoovers. I guess the floor is his territory and this is a big intruder. Dogs do love feet after all.