Mutilated hedgehog, swastikas discovered on Dordrecht golf course
A disturbing act of animal cruelty was discovered Wednesday morning on a golf course in Dordrecht. A hedgehog was found impaled on a flagstick, with swastikas drawn in the sand nearby. The incident has left golf course staff and local authorities shocked.
Peter Bolleurs, 35, a greenkeeper at the golf course, described the scene as horrifying. He was notified by a colleague who came across the mutilated hedgehog during her rounds on the course. “The photos she sent me were beyond anything I ever expected to see,” said Bolleurs. “The poor animal was brutally attacked and left on the flagstick, covered in sand and blood. My colleague was completely shaken.”
The condition of the hedgehog suggested severe suffering before its death. “This is absolutely sickening,” Bolleurs said. “Whoever did this must have no regard for life.”
Bolleurs noted that this was not the first time the course had been targeted by vandals. “Parts of the course are open to the public, and we’ve had issues with vandalism before. But this... this is something else. It keeps getting worse,” he said.
While the golf course has surveillance cameras in restricted areas, the public parts of the property remain unmonitored. Bolleurs expressed frustration over the lack of security measures. “We really need cameras here, but the public nature of this part of the course complicates things,” he said.
The golf course management confirmed the incident and corroborated Bolleurs’ account but declined to comment further. Staff found potential evidence near the site, including dog tracks. However, Bolleurs dismissed the idea that dogs could be responsible for the hedgehog’s injuries. “Dogs don’t do this. Whoever did this is a person, and they need to be found,” he said.
Authorities are investigating the incident, but no suspects have been identified yet. The use of swastikas, drawn near the scene, has raised concerns about possible ideological motives behind the attack.
The shocking nature of the act has reignited calls for harsher penalties for animal cruelty. The Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals emphasized the need for stricter enforcement of laws and for jail sentences in cases of severe abuse.
“This is not just vandalism; this is a violent act against a defenseless animal,” a spokesperson for the organization said.
