A kind stranger recently picked up a baby hedgehog from the side of the road, believing it was injured. She carefully placed the hedgehog into a box to keep it safe and warm, but became alarmed and worried when, after several hours, she saw that the poor creature hadn't moved at all and hadn't eaten any of the cat food she had left out for it.
She rushed it to the Lower Moss Wood Nature Reserve and Wildlife Hospital in Cheshire, England, hoping the veterinarian could help the poor hoglet.
Turns out, though, that the poor creature wasn't a hedgehog at all. It wasn't even a living creature—it was a pom-pom that had escaped some unlucky person's knitted hat!
The Independent explains:
The vet on shift Janet Kotze 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." . . .
According to The Independent, after hearing the news, the kind rescuer exclaimed, "You're joking! Oh my goodness, how did I do that?"
I applaud this woman and her kindness! She was so focused on getting the creature to safety that she just scooped it up and placed it in a box without scrutinizing it too closely. I'm glad she erred on the side of caution, though, even if was probably a little embarrassing to find out what she'd actually been trying to nurse back to health was just a lost pom-pom. Honestly, it sounds like a very relatable mistake. I hope she was able to eventually have a good laugh about it!
Previously: Hedgehog facts
