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Story summary
- West Yorkshire Police opened investigation (crime number 13260401913) after a painted hedgehog was rescued in Yeadon, Leeds.
- Diane Cook said the blue-and-yellow paint blocked spines, caused breathing problems and prevented the hedgehog from curling.
- Rescuers scraped the paint, administered pain relief and will microchip the animal before release.
- The Wildlife Trusts note hedgehog numbers fell 30%-75% since 2000 and the IUCN listed the species as Threatened in 2024.
