The RSPCA has warned people to put netting away to avoid wildlife suffering potentially fatal injuries.
Rescuers from the animal charity came to the aid of two stricken foxes; one who got tangled up in football goal netting in Twickenham, Greater London, and the other in garden netting at a property in Kent.
The rescues on Saturday, January 4 highlight the dangers netting poses to wildlife, particularly to foxes and hedgehogs, who are most likely to get stuck. In 2022, of the 1,798 calls the RSPCA fielded relating to animals trapped in netting 315 were wild mammals, of which 167 were foxes and 62 hedgehogs.
RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) Chloe Wilson came to the aid of a vixen who was trapped in a football goal on playing fields at Waldegrave School (pictured). The netting was wrapped around the fox’s stomach and leg and the officer used a grasper and cutting tool to free the animal before taking her for treatment at the Wildlife Aid rescue in Leatherhead.
“I noticed there were other goals on the field where the nets had been pulled up, but this netting had only been pulled half way up the goal. We always urge anyone using netting for sports activities to remove and store it away properly after games. Discarded or old netting should also be put safely in a bin,” she said.
“It’s possible the fox was trapped overnight, but I managed to free and catch her, although it was clear she needed some medical assistance. There was blood on her leg, which was swollen and although fortunately they turned out to be only superficial wounds the situation could have been a lot worse. She needed some pain relief at the rescue who are now monitoring her progress and when she is hopefully fully recovered she will be released back to the wild.
“We always advise any member of the public who comes across an injured wild animal like a fox or a badger to not attempt rescuing them themselves. This was a bright, feisty fox who took some effort to get control of as she was obviously distressed and she was biting my grasper pole as I took hold of her.”
On the same day RSPCA ARO Brian Milligan went to a property at Manor Lane in Rochester where a fox (pictured) was caught up in garden netting in the front garden. The officer cut the fox free and after checking that the mammal had not sustained any injuries, he was able to release the fox at the location.
Netted fencing in gardens can also be dangerous to wildlife and householders should exercise caution with its use. Garden netting, such as that used on ponds, should ideally be replaced with solid metal mesh.
If people find foxes trapped in situations like this they should phone the RSPCA on the emergency line number 0300 1234 999.
You can join the RSPCA’s Winter Rescue by donating online at rspca.org.uk/winterappeal.
