Injured and orphaned hedgehogs require specialist rehabilitation. Understanding when and how to intervene protects both individual animals and long-term survival outcomes.
Wildlife rehabilitation creates welfare tradeoffs between the suffering of the individual animal and the costs of captive care. Well-executed hedgehog rehabilitation genuinely saves animals that would otherwise die from treatable conditions. Poorly executed rehabilitation can cause additional suffering through incorrect diet, inappropriate housing, and premature release. The welfare case for connecting rescued hedgehogs with specialist rehabilitators rather than attempting amateur care is strong.