Report from Chris Smith

Hounds help in search for Uist hedgehogs

By David Ross, Highland Correspondent, in the Herald, 29 th April 2003

Dogs were brought in yesterday to help the search for the 200 hedgehogs believed to be on the island of North Uist.

George Anderson, Scottish Natural heritage's spokesman, said two pointer dogs and their handlers had been specially trained.

'The dogs indicate to their handlers where the hedgehogs are. The dogs are not there to physically catch the hedgehogs. Their use, like every other aspect of this project, has been discussed with the SSPCA.

He added Our work this year concentrates in North Uist to head off the hedgehog spread. We are therefore searching for relatively few animals across a large area... the dogs will be a great help.

So far, 30 hedgehogs have been culled and rescuers said they had sent 77 animals south by ferry for relocation in the past two weeks.

Mr Anderson said SNH believed last Friday was the last safe time for relocation of hedgehogs. 'We are now in the period when many hedgehogs are pregnant... We believe, therefore, that as of this week there is an even wider gap in animal welfare terms between our humane cull and the efforts of the so-called rescuers.'

But Les Stocker, of St Tiggywinkles animal hospital in Buckinghamshire, and part of the Uist Hedgehog rescue team, said: 'SNH don't know what they are talking about. They don't know anything about hedgehogs. We have put May 15 as the date we should stop because of pregnancies.'

© The Herald, 29 th April 2003

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