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AN ANIMAL sanctuary owner wants to pass on a warning that hedgehogs, rats and mice can be affected by foot-and-mouth disease.
Carol Outhwaite has run the Jaybeth Sanctuary at Barnardiston, near Haverhill, for many years and received advice from the RSPCA about measures to be taken to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth.
She was amazed to learn that hedgehogs, mice and rats were included in the species whose movements are restricted.
"I was absolutely gob-smacked and I have worked with animals for 30 odd years. I trained as an animal nurse at the time of the last foot-and-mouth outbreak and I know how devastating the disease can be.
"When we got our list of rules and regulations we already knew most of it, but we were totally unaware that these three animals could be affected. None of them can be moved, received or re-homed by sanctuaries.
"A lot of people do look after hedgehogs over the winter and we just wanted to let them know that they should not release them into the wild. I think most people thought, like us, that only cloven hooved animals were affected," Mrs Outhwaite said.
An RSPCA spokesman confirmed that hedgehogs can contract foot and mouth, while rats and mice can carry it. Although it is not possible to control the movement of wild hedgehogs, any domesticated ones should be kept in isolation as a precaution.
Anyone who keeps sheep or goats should keep them isolated from other animals for two weeks as a precaution, the spokesman said.

PHOTO CAPTION: Warning... Carol Outhwaite