It is well known among those with a love for wildlife, particularly Hedgehogs, that Royal Mail postal workers are incorrectly discarding of elastic bands on a regular basis.
I have been informed of countrywide complaints to Royal Mail on this terrible issue. The amount of people I have spoken to who have had to clean up after their local postal workers is overwhelming. Many have told of how they are unable to walk through the streets of their community without picking up elastic bands scattered all over the place.
Like so many who care, I have contacted Royal Mail on several occasions but to no avail. After hearing of yet more cases of Hedgehogs suffering from injuries sustained after becoming entangled in an elastic band, I decided enough was enough: something more needs to be done.
When an elastic band is dropped on the floor, an immediate hazard is presented to all wildlife. This is what happens:
The elastic band tangles around the bulk of the Hedgehog's body or a limb
If the band does not fall off within a matter of days, it probably never will: as the Hedgehog grows, the band tightens, causing severe pain
Over time, the band eventually start to embed into the Hedgehog's skin
This causes an infection as the flesh of the Hedgehog is exposed to dirt. Insects start to eat away at the rotting flesh
The Hedgehog dies a slow and painful death if it is not detected
In the event of a rescue, everything is done to save the Hedgehog, but amputation is the Hedgehog being put to sleep is often the result.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]A 400g Hedgehog with a Royal Mail elastic band deeoply embedded into its skin, so much so the band had to be removed whilst the Hedgehog was under GA.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]The Hedgehog after having the Royal Mail elastic band removed, recovering rather well despite the horrific injury he was suffering at the hands of Royal Mail.
By Derek Knight.
Sun Feb 03, 2013 12:59 pm
