Hedgehog Rescue

That this House commends the vital work of Hedgehog Rescue, which treats, rehabilitates and cares for over 300 hedgehogs a year in South Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Bath, Somerset and Bristol, including orphaned young that must be hand reared before release; recognises the tireless dedication of the whole team, and in particular Yvonne Cox, who has given 27 years of service to the rescue and regularly delivers educational talks to schools and community groups on protecting local wildlife; notes with concern that hedgehogs continue to suffer death and injury on the roads and through litter, habitat destruction and the use of garden tools and chemicals; is deeply concerned that the rescue will be forced to cease operations this year, in significant part due to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) under care guidance, which requires a physical veterinary examination before antibiotics, antiparasitics, antivirals or antifungals can be prescribed, leaving small wildlife rescues unable to access timely treatment during outbreaks such as coccidiosis; recognises that this guidance was introduced to tackle antimicrobial resistance and protect declining insect populations, but believes its blanket application is having a disproportionate and unintended effect on wildlife rescues operating at scale and often facing unresponsive practices; and calls on the Government to work with the RCVS and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to review the impact of this guidance on wildlife rescue centres.