A fox cub needed help after getting his back leg stuck in the metal grate of a drain in BerkhamstedA fox cub needed help after getting his back leg stuck in the metal grate of a drain in Berkhamsted
A fox cub needed help after getting his back leg stuck in the metal grate of a drain in Berkhamsted

RSPCA reveals top rescues of 2021 - including a fox cub's leg stuck in drain in Berkhamsted

RSPCA reveals the animals it’s rescued from the strangest and most surprising situations this year

Animals get themselves up to all sorts - and nobody sees that more than the RSPCA’s team of rescuers.

In 2021, 281,390 incidents were reported to the charity’s frontline teams via its emergency hotline - 44,998 in the South East and 4,355 in Hertfordshire (Figures relate to number of incidents reported between January 1, and November 30, 2021) - including a fox cub who needed help after getting his back leg stuck in the metal grate of a drain in Berkhamsted.

Rescuer Lauren Bailey was called to help the stricken youngster on August 8, when passers-by spotted the poor cub.

She said: “The fox must have got stuck after his leg fell down the gap and was quite distressed and bedraggled, from the rain, when I arrived.

"We offered him a little dish of water and then set about carefully trying to wriggle him free. Thankfully, I was able to get him out but was concerned about his leg so took him to a wildlife hospital for treatment.”

Luckily, all the rescues featured here had happy endings. Here the RSPCA reveals its top rescues of 2021 across the South East.

The RSPCA is the only charity out on the frontline rescuing animals from all sorts of situations 365 days a year. To help rescuers be there for the animals in need this winter, visit the RSPCA website and Join the Winter Rescue.