The Case of the Baby Hedgehog
Photo by Sierra NiCole Narvaeth
My husband read me this article the other night. Let me see if I can remember it correctly. It's a good'un.
A woman in the UK - not sure where - finds a baby hedgehog lying in the middle of a cold pavement. The woman worried about its health, picks it up very carefully and brings it back to the warmth of her home, making it a bed in a cardboard box. She leaves the baby hedgehog some food - probably cat food - and a hot water bottle for further warmth.
The following morning the baby hedgehog hasn't moved or eaten anything. The woman is very concerned and decides to take the tiny animal to a local wildlife hospital. The doctors take the baby hedgehog away for a full examination to determine how best to save the stricken animal.
Some minutes later the vet comes to talk to the woman.
"There's good news and... other news," he/she says. To be clear, I've no idea what the vet says to the woman. I can only imagine this conversation.
"The good news is the baby hedgehog isn't dead."
"Phew," says the woman. "What a relief."
"The other news," says the vet, "is that the animal isn't a hedgehog at all."
"Oh?" says the woman, somewhat confused.
"It's a bobble."
"A bobble?"
"From someone's hat. A pompom. Easily mistaken. It's happened before."
True story. You can read it here.
