A kind human spotted an abandoned baby hedgehog on the side of the road in Knutsford, England. She carefully collected the cute creature it in a box with a little dish of cat food before bringing it to the Lower Moss Wood Educational Nature Reserve and Wildlife Hospital.
Upon examination, the hoglet turned out to be a soft, cuddly pom-pom that had fallen off a winter hat.
""It was pretty obvious to us but I can also see how she was mistaken," vet Janet Kotze told The Independent. "I went back out and explained, 'I'm sorry it's just a bobble…She was so concentrated on doing the right thing. She was concerned it hadn't moved or even pooed. That would be spooky if it had."
Rather than mock the case of mistaken identity, the animal sanctuary used it as a teachable moment, reminding us that "if you spot a hedgehog out during the day, it's a sign something's not right.
"Pop them in a box with a warm source and seek help from your local vets."
