Wirral animal rescue group cut 11 foxes from football nets

AN animal rescue group say they have had to cut 11 foxes from football nets across Wirral in the last two months.

Wirral Fox Rescue, a fox rescue service and rehabilitation centre based in Wirral, is warning people that sporting equipment like football nets can cause “serious damage” to foxes.

On Sunday (November 10) the group took to social media to share images of their latest rescue.

A Wirral Fox Rescue spokesperson said: “We've cut 11 foxes out of nets in various locations across Wirral in the last two months alone.

“If nets are kept up permanently then it is inevitable that a fox will end up tangled.

“It isn't a seasonal issue, foxes are getting stuck year round, mainly on school grounds.

“Needless to say something has to change.

“Constriction injuries can take some time to appear, so where possible we admit the fox for short term observations.

The rescued fox is now being treated by the rescue (Image: Wirral Fox Rescue)

“This fox also has mange starting on his rump, so it's a positive that we can treat him for the mites while we have him.

“This not only helps him avoid a long and slow decline, it also prevents the mites infecting other foxes in the area.

“Having said that, things could have ended very differently for him had the school been closed. Thankfully it wasn't and they called for help immediately.

“Aside from the trauma of the ordeal, he's lucky in that he has no permanent injuries from being stuck in the netting, and his stay with us should be a short one.”

As well as football nets, the rescue is warning that other sporting equipment poses risks against foxes.

The charity also recently  rescued a fox who they say had been trying to trap “for some time” after he got caught with a plastic ring stuck around his neck.

A spokesperson said: “It’s not just nets that pose a risk. There’s a fox we've been trying to trap for some time.

The fox was trapped with a ring around its neck (Image: Wirral Fox Rescue)

“The poor lad has had this plastic ring stuck on him for a number of months. As you can see in the pictures, this has caused serious damage to his body, as well as immeasurable suffering. Despite all of this, he has survived.

“It's commonly accepted that football nets can be dangerous for foxes due to the risk of the fox becoming tangled.

“We've freed our fair share of foxes from nets, but the same can be said for other outdoor sport and game related objects.”

The rescue hopes by sharing the news of their rescues that they can help raise awareness to others about tidying up after games and not leaving nets up.

They added: “Really, it's just common sense. If folk were in the habit of putting these items away after use, then this poor fox and many like him would be spared from a traumatic ordeal, sometimes with fatal outcome.

As well as football nets, the rescue is warning that other sporting equipment poses risks against foxes (Image: Wirral Fox Rescue)

“Thankfully, this fox wondered into a shed where we were able to catch him, but many others aren't so lucky

“He'll be with us for some time yet. We've removed the object and cleaned the wound. he's currently at our vet for stitches and then his recovery with us at the centre will begin.”

If you find a fox in distress go to: wirralfoxrescue.co.uk