The RSPCA are hunting a 'crossbow killer' responsible for spearing at least 10 hedgehogs and lining up three of their carcasses outside a school in Cambridge.
Dogwalker Tracy Okten, from Cherry Linton, found their butchered bodies outside Cherry Linton primary school on Monday.
Three of the hedgehogs had been placed like "trophies" reported the Telegraph.
She told Cambridge-news.co.uk that she found the killings worrying.
"Whoever is responsible is clearly a lunatic. They’re so slow moving it’s probably not too difficult to shoot them.
“I don’t understand why someone is allowed to have a crossbow – it’s a very dangerous weapon."
Faye Cross, from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society described the attacks as "sickening."
"The pain and fear these poor animals must have gone through is unimaginable," she told The Huffington Post UK.
"Animal cruelty is often associated with people who have done poorly in school, have low self esteem and few friends," she said.
"Research has shown consistent patterns of animal cruelty among perpetrators of violent crime, including child abuse, spouse abuse and murder.
"Let us ensure these people have the fullest most severe punishment possible for carrying out such a cowardly attack."
A spate of hedgehog killings were reported in the same area last year, in what the RSPCA described as "one of the most malicious incidents of animal cruelty" that they had ever encountered.
The hedgehogs had been impaled with holes on either side of their bodies and their innards left trailing out. Three of them had been left in a line. In another attack in the same area only a week earlier, three hedgehogs had been stabbed to death.
At the time local residents offered a reward of £200 for information leading to an arrest, however no one came forward.
Anyone who has any information about this attack can contact the police on 0345 113 5000, Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or the RSPCA cruelty hotline on 0300 1234 999.