Four people arrested after hedgehog painted blue and yellow in Leeds
The hedgehog was left with breathing problems due to the fumes
Four people have been arrested after a hedgehog was painted blue and white in Leeds, leaving it seriously hurt.
The adult female was found by a woman in her back garden in Yeadon, before being rescued by staff at Prickly Pigs Hedgehog Rescue in Otley.
The rescue centre said the paint meant that the poor spiny mammal was unable to "curl up " into a ball and was left with "breathing problems" due to the fumes from the paint.
They had to scrub clean the oil-based paint from each individual spine and administer pain relief.
Police have now confirmed they have arrested two men, aged 44 and 21, and two boys, aged 17 and 15, on suspicion of causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal.
A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police’s Wildlife and Rural Crime Unit said: “All four have been bailed for further enquires to take place.
“Anyone with information is asked to call 101 or use the Live Chat option on our website quoting reference 13260401913.
“Information can also be given anonymously to the independent Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.”
Diane Cook, who runs Prickly Pigs Hedgehog Rescue from her converted garage, said because the creature had restricted movement, it had no way of defending itself from predators and could have easily been "killed".
The fumes from the paint had caused it "severe breathing problems" as well as from "potentially trying to lick it off her or from other toxins within the paint".
Hedgehogs are in decline in Britain and are now listed as ‘vulnerable’ on Britain's red list of mammals.
According to the latest State of Britain's hedgehogs report, numbers of hedgehogs have fallen by up to 30% in urban areas and 50% in rural areas since the turn of the century