Thousands of injured and sick hedgehogs are brought to UK wildlife rehabilitation centres annually, with welfare during care depending on appropriate nutrition, housing, treatment, and release site selection.
Injured hedgehogs in unsuitable care conditions experience ongoing pain, starvation, and disease progression. Road-injured hedgehogs with internal injuries that are not detected die from peritonitis or internal haemorrhage days after presentation. Hedgehogs kept too warm during rehabilitation fail to develop the metabolic adaptations needed for hibernation. Fly-strike cases must be treated promptly or maggots cause extensive tissue destruction. Release into fragmented habitat without adequate food resources or connectivity leads to post-release starvation and welfare failure.