Hedgehog Painted Blue to Resemble Sonic Dies From Burns

A hedgehog found in a field behind Wakefield Police Station in West Yorkshire had been sprayed blue, apparently to make it resemble Sonic the Hedgehog. The paint caused severe chemical burns, damaged the animal’s skin and made some of its spines fall out; despite care and pain relief at Castleford Hedgehog Rescue, it died the following morning. The rescue centre’s director said she believed the animal suffered an infection and may also have been poisoned by the paint, and described the case as the worst spray-paint cruelty she had encountered in 16 years.