Four men have been arrested after an adult hedgehog was discovered painted in the colours associated with Leeds United in Yeadon, West Yorkshire Police have confirmed. The arrests were made by the force's Wildlife and Rural Crime team over the weekend.
What happened and where
A woman found the female hedgehog at her home in Yeadon on Monday 13 July. The animal appeared to have been sprayed or painted in blue and yellow, leaving its spines matted and restricting its ability to curl up — a key defensive behaviour for hedgehogs.
The hedgehog was taken to Prickly Pigs Hedgehog Rescue in Otley where staff, who run the shelter from a converted garage, removed the oil-based paint by scrubbing each spine and provided pain relief and treatment. Rescue staff reported the paint was so thick that it had effectively 'glued' the spines together and caused breathing difficulties from fumes.
Police response and legal basis
West Yorkshire Police said four males aged 44, 21, 17 and 15 were arrested on suspicion of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal contrary to Section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. All four have been bailed while enquiries continue.
"Four arrests have been made after a hedgehog was sprayed blue in the Yeadon area," a police spokesperson said. "All four have been bailed for further enquires to take place."
Local impact and conservation context
Volunteers at the rescue warned that the animal's compromised ability to adopt its defensive posture left it vulnerable to predators and to a risk of malnutrition. Diane Cook, who runs the Otley shelter, described the incident as "absolutely appalling," saying the paint had glued spines together and prevented normal movement.
- Incident location: Yeadon, Leeds
- Animal treated at: Prickly Pigs Hedgehog Rescue, Otley
- Offence under consideration: Section 4, Animal Welfare Act 2006
Hedgehogs in Britain are in long-term decline and are listed as "vulnerable" on national conservation assessments. Local rescues and conservation groups have repeatedly appealed for public vigilance and for anyone with information about attacks on wildlife to contact police.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Number arrested | 4 (aged 44, 21, 17, 15) |
| Suspected offence | Causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal (Animal Welfare Act 2006) |
| Rescue involved | Prickly Pigs Hedgehog Rescue, Otley |
The case has prompted calls locally for greater awareness of wildlife welfare and for anyone with information to assist the ongoing police investigation.
