THE owner of a blind hedgehog has appealed for people to be on the lookout after it went missing. Mary Clarke is desperate for her pet to return after spending five years watching it roam around her garden.
She got her pet from Hull's Hedgehog Hospital, where it was being cared for because it is completely blind.
Ms Clarke, 61, fears it will starve to death in the wild or die because it cannot tell the difference between night and day.
"I'm just terribly sad and very worried that she will starve to death out there," said Mary.
"She is completely blind, so she will be out during the day because she has no idea what time it is and she walks into things.
"She is so vulnerable and she is very old, but she will be wandering around looking for food.
"She might manage to forage a bit if she finds a nice garden with lots of slugs and snails.
"It is the thought that she might starve to death that really upsets me."
The hedgehog, which does not have a name, has the run of Mary's garden in the Avenues area of west Hull.
The hedgehog escaped last Wednesday after the gate was accidentally left open for five minutes.
It is distinctive from other hedgehogs because of its white clouded eyes and small size.
Ms Clarke said: "We are all very fond of her, so we are desperate for her to come back.
"She is very timid – even after all this time she wouldn't come up to us, but we just enjoyed the pleasure of seeing her around the garden and knowing she was there.
"I just hope someone sees her, puts her in a box and takes her home so she is safe."
The hedgehog is also due to go into hibernation in three weeks.
"We are not worried about other wild animals because she will just curl up in a ball at the first sign of any trouble, so she should be safe from that," said Ms Clarke.
"It is the starvation that faces her and finding somewhere to sleep for the winter.
"She has had five happy years she might not have had, but it would be so nice to have her back home."
• If you have seen the hedgehog, call Ms Clarke on 01482 447188 or 07837 293307.
• Family news and advice from the Hull Daily Mail
