Gentle touch helps stressed hedgehogs in Shropshire
They are seen as nervous creatures who roll up into a ball at the first sign of danger, but a group of rescue hedgehogs have been helped to de-stress – through reiki.
Five hedgehogs have been given the treatment – which is based on ancient Japanese healing techniques – to help them overcome illness or to relieve stress.
Rob Fellows has been treating the hedgehogs by putting his hands on the animals and holding them, and agreed to try the technique on the prickly creatures after being approached by the Shropshire-based British Hedgehog Preservation Society.
The hedgehogs at Cuan House Wildlife in Much Wenlock are under the care of the preservation society, which is based at Clee Hill near Ludlow.
Mr Fellows said: "I have done reiki on these hedgehogs who have been rescued. They may well be stressed, or have some kind of illness like worms - which isn't good for them - or have been knocked over or attacked by other animals.
"Ideally I need to carry out the treatment a few times for the treatment to take effect."
These are not the first animals Mr Fellows has used reiki on.
He started treating animals with it after Joe, his springer spaniel, was diagnosed with arthritis in his front paws.
"I felt that I had to do something to help him," he said.
"He was such a faithful friend who loved to go for walks even though he was in so much pain and he often dragged his foot on the floor, until it bled. It broke my heart to see him like that.
