RSPCA rescue fox with head stuck in the floor

31.08.12

We were called to rescue a furry friend who had been out-foxed by a hole in the floor and got himself well and truly stuck!

RSPCA Animal Welfare Officer Kate Wright was called on Wednesday 29 August to the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield after builders discovered a fox with just his head poking out of the floor.

It appears this hapless fox had somehow managed to get inside the office area, which was being refurbished, and then under the flooring.

It is thought that when he saw a hole in the floor he decided to make his escape, but sadly only his head would squeeze through it, and suddenly he was jammed stuck.

A very odd sight!

Builders at the site called us and AWO Wright was sent out to help. She said:

I have to admit that when I arrived I was faced with a very odd sight. Here was this fox’s head poking out of a floor and he was so jammed he couldn’t move and I just had these big eyes staring at me. I’m not sure if he had got under the flooring through the foundations, but whatever led him there, his plan to get out through the hole clearly hadn’t worked!

The builders were amazing and when I said the best thing for the rescue was to remove the floor panel he was stuck in, they sorted it out immediately using crowbars. Then it was a case of me crawling on the floor and trying to then squeeze the fox’s head back through the hole.

He couldn’t move any other part of his body, so he just sat there watching me the whole time. I actually think he had quite an embarrassed expression on his face. I had to get to the scruff of his neck while trying to avoid wires and eventually after a lot of pushing, I managed to pop one ear through and then finally the next and he was free.

Then he went berserk! I managed to keep hold of him and avoid being bitten, before finally getting him in a cage ready to release him at a safe location nearby.

AWO Wright added:

It certainly was a strange morning, but all part of the job with the RSPCA.

He was a beautiful fox, and although his neck was slightly swollen from being stuck, I think it was his pride that was hurt more than anything as he had been outfoxed by a hole.

He ran off into the wild, and it was great to think that this was a successful rescue, even though it was one of my more unusual I have had to deal with.

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Wildlife rescues

• We rescue animals from all sorts of situations - read about some of our amazing wildlife rescues.
   
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Wildlife Rocks

Wildlife Rocks a music event that celebrates wildlife, is happening this Saturday, 1 September at Guildford Cathedral, Surrey from 11.30am - 4.30 pm.

The RSPCA will be attending and speaking at this event, organised by Queen founder Brian May, along with many other wildlife organisations and musicians.

For more information about the event and how to get there visit the wildlife rocks website.

 

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