Hedgehogs are  Killed and injured daily by Strimmers and Lawnmowers   I am totally and absolutely fed up & really annoyed and distressed by the amount of injured, dead & dying hedgehogs that I have dealt with, all totally unnecessary when a little thought would have prevented all of it I picked up over 50  hedgehogs in 2007 with very bad injuries caused by strimmers, mowers and other garden machinery. Even though all were given immediate veterinary attention NONE of them have survived. The injuries inflicted on these innocent defenceless little animals, through OUR carelessness and neglect is beyond belief. Believe it or not 2007was NO WORSE than any previous year I have created 2  petitions  about these strimmers in the hope we can put a stop to this unnecessary slaughter please all sign them http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Strimmers/ http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-hedgehogs-being-killed-by-strimmers-and-lawnmowers All we are asking is: Please be very careful when using a strimmer, mower or other power tool in your garden and check the long grass and undergrowth first with your hand or foot to make sure NOTHING is curled up there. Hedgehogs DO NOT run away when they hear the noise, but curl up tightly which is no protection from these tools of mass destruction The manufacturers and sellers of these weapons of mass destruction to put a clearly visible warning on the tool where the person using it will see it everytime they use it. 2008 has started badly, it is only January and gardening season hasn't even started yet!! This is the first one so far this year badly injured by a strimmer This hedgehog has had its nose chopped as well as its tail and a lot of its spines click on the small image for a full size one   Here are some more pictures of hedgehogs with horrific injuries caused  by strimmers click on the small image for a full size one  Hedgehog sliced completely by a strimmer  Hedgehog with both back legs chopped off Hedgehog with strimmer injury to face Philip Larkin wrote this poem after his terrible experience back in 1979 and it is still happening Philip Larkin  (1922-1985) The Mower The mower stalled, twice; kneeling, I found A hedgehog jammed up against the blades, Killed. It had been in the long grass. I had seen it before, and even fed it, once. Now I had mauled its unobtrusive world Unmendably. Burial was no help: Next morning I got up and it did not. The first day after a death, the new absence Is always the same; we should be careful Of each other, we should be kind While there is still time.   Petition powered by ThePetitionSite.com

Hedgehogs naturally sleep curled up in long grass or piles of leaves and twigs.

Hedgehogs have been around for 15 Million years, which makes them one of the oldest mammals still in existence. Hedgehogs are nocturnal animals. They sleep curled up during daytime in long grass and undergrowth. This is the time when strimmers are used and hedgehogs are in danger.

Hedgehogs are now dying out very fast and have recently been put on the endangered list. Each and every unnecessary death brings them a step closer to extinction

The pictures below show a hedgehog in its nest. See how the hedgehog blends in perfectly. This is why so many get chopped & killed by strimmers when people don't check the long grass, the undergrowth or piles of leaves before using these Weapons of Mass Destruction

It is so distressing and really upsetting when hedgehogs get injured or killed, and all because someone couldn't be bothered to, or care enough to check first

Please everyone, if you haven't signed these petitions yet please do so & ask all your friends & neighbours and everyone you know

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Strimmers/

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-hedgehogs-being-killed-by-strimmers-and-lawnmowers

We are determined to try to get something done about the lack of warnings on these strimmers and other power tools and make everyone aware of the dangers they cause to hedgehogs and other wildlife

These are 2 variations of a poster designed by a hedgehog carer that you can print out and can be given to all shops selling strimmers, Garden Centres, Pet shops, Vets, Supermarkets & other notice boards  and anywhere else you can think of

Click on them  for a full size one to print out

I am in the process of writing to all strimmer manufacturers and the big DIY chains who sell these tools to try to get them to put a clear visible warning on the tool itself as well as being buried away in the instruction book in tiny type that no one ever reads

We are asking everybody to also write a heartfelt letter to them as well asking them to do the right thing for once and not worry about their profits.

Here is the letter I have written, you can alter it & send yourself to as many companies as you can to give them some encouragement to act

Please download any of these & send to as many places as you can. Just substitute your name and address for mine

Strimmer_Manufacturers.doc

2nd Letter I have send to all Manufacturers that you can also use

Letter I have sent to a lot of newspapers & magazines and TV and Radio Stations

We do need to get this done before the spring madness starts while the manufacturers are preparing this years packaging

Here is a list of all the manufacturers & stores I have found so far:

Updates: 10th January 2008 I have only had 3 replies to the letters to the companies

Stihl and Draper who have both said they will look at it and Wickes who have passed to marketing department.

Everyone else has totally ignored it
 

28th January 2008.  Still no replies from most manufacturers so I have written again

4th February 2008:    Reply from Draper saying they will be adding a warning to their documentation Read the letter here
                              They are the first to take action. Let's hope that the other manufacturers will soon follow them

25th February 2008:   Reply from Husqvana who sell Flymo & McCulloch equipment who will put a small  entry in their instruction book buried away in the middle of  page 2 but Marketing department wouldn't agree to  put a sticker on the strimmer because it might have " unforeseen negative effect on their brand ", in other words they are more worried about their profits instead of the irreparable damage they cause.   Read their letter here  See the tiny entry in the instruction book here ( which most people wouldn't see at all)  and the sticker that the Engineers came up with here

If you have any other ideas or want to help with this vital campaign to stop the thoughtless extermination of hedgehogs (and other wildlife) please visit our advice and help forum http://www.hedgehoghelp.co.uk where you can leave your comments and suggestions

Thanks for reading this and for being concerned and wanting to help