NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. -- Three hedgehogs have been recovered after being dumped at a Metro Vancouver park.
On Aug. 8, a visitor to Queens Park alerted New Westminster Animal Services that they'd found the creatures near 1st Avenue.
Two were in an Amazon shipping box with the labels removed. Another was running around the playground area.
"We were lucky that local residents were assisting the animal services officer who attended the scene in wrangling up the hedgehogs that were running around," said Supt. Aaron Hilgerdenaar. "We think we got them all but we're not 100 per cent sure, since we don't know how many were dumped at the park."
When asked about the hedgehogs' condition, Hilgerdenaar says they're a bit traumatized by the whole ordeal.
"We did receive a report from the finders of the hedgehogs that there were crows pecking at them."
Hilgerdenaar says they'll be taken to a vet to be checked over thoroughly to make sure they're healthy. The vet will also determine whether they can be provided any extra care.
They're not currently up for adoption, but Animal Services will be looking at the next steps to make sure they end up in safe space, whether that means fostering, adopting them out or transferring them to another animal rescue organization.
Hilgerdenaar stresses that leaving animals in this manner is the wrong thing to do.
"Not only is it not an ethical thing to do, it is actually an offence under our bylaw to abandon an animal on city property."
If someone needs to get rid of a pet, Hilgerdenaar says they should call their local animal shelter to explore options on surrendering them.
Anyone with information about where the hedgehogs came from, or who dumped them, is asked to get in contact with New Westminster Animal Services.
