An RSPCA rescuer freed a fox that was caught up in football goal netting in a South London garden.
Sports netting poses a huge danger to wildlife and the animal charity is urging anyone who uses netting for sports activities in their gardens or public places to remove and store it away properly after games, while discarding old netting safely in bins.
RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) Tia Pennant came to the aid of the stricken fox, who was struggling frantically to break free in the back garden of a property in Elsa Road in Welling on Monday, January 27.
The fox was tightly wound up in the goal net and was hanging in the air by a back leg when the animal rescue officer arrived. She was able to cut the fox free and used a grasper to place the animal in a cage before taking him to a wildlife hospital for assessment.
ARO Pennant said: “Fortunately, the fox wasn’t injured and I was able to cut him free quickly before taking him to South Essex Wildlife Hospital to get checked out. The hospital will release him back into the wild at the same location.
“The homeowner said he would take down his football goal and get a fold-up one in place of it as he realised the dangers to wildlife. It is a big problem at the moment as we’re finding a lot of foxes are getting trapped in situations like this.
“Any member of the public who comes across a fox or another large wild animal like a badger trapped like this should call the RSPCA on 0300 123 9999 and not attempt to rescue them themselves.”
In another fox rescue, RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Paige Havlin was called out to a building site Shaftesbury Road in Richmond on Monday, January 20, although sadly the outcome was not as positive.
The officer managed to contain the fox, but the animal was contaminated with paint and despite treatment at South Essex Wildlife Hospital failed to recover from poisoning and was put to sleep to end his suffering.
ARO Havlin said: “The fox was trapped in the building site over the weekend and was under a staircase when I found him. There was paint on the animal’s coat and dampness around the muzzle, which suggested he may have ingested some paint. He was struggling to walk on his back legs and running into walls.”
You can find out more advice from the RSPCA about foxes on the charity’s website.
You can join the RSPCA’s Winter Rescue by donating online at rspca.org.uk/winterappeal.
