A YOUNG fox had a brush with death after his head became stuck between two wooden fence panels.

A neighbour spotted the fox stuck in the fencing and called the RSPCA to help on Sunday.

RSPCA Animal Collection Officer (ACO) Bryan Moffitt attended the home in South Shields and was initially concerned the animal was dead, as he appeared to be very still.

After carefully lifting the fox out of the fence panels, he placed him in a crate to observe him, but within minutes it was clear he had suffered no injury.

Bryan said: “He was very quiet for a couple of minutes, but it seemed he came around all of a sudden and sprung to life. I could see he had no injuries - no cuts or bruises - and so I drove him to a nearby field and released him.”

He added: “He ran off so quickly, I didn’t even have time to take a photo of his release. He was obviously keen to get back home after his ordeal!”

Rescuing and releasing wildlife from unusual situations is far from uncommon for RSPCA officers.
In 2014, the RSPCA collected 5,904 foxes and last month alone carried out a number of rescues relating to other species, including:

  • cleaning five ducklings found covered in tar in Norfolk
  • caring for two fledgling kestrels who fell from their next in Manchester,
  • freeing a hedgehog who got stuck in an iron gate in Newmarket.