- The fox cub was discovered in a sewage pipe at a house in Manchester.
An adorable baby fox was rescued from a drain pipe by plumbers after becoming stuck 2 feet underground.
The dirty young cub was first discovered by a Manchester homeowner who heard his barking from the cellar of his property.
They called the local Fox Rescuers group who confirmed the small animal was stuck in their 10cm wide sewage pipe.
The team first tried to use forceps to get him out and then left some food for the cub, but he refused to eat it.
They then contacted the RSPCA and plumbing company Quick Drains for help, who used a specialist camera to check the bear cub was still alive and well.
An adorable baby fox was rescued from a drain pipe by plumbers after becoming stuck 2 feet underground.
The dirty young cub was first discovered by a homeowner in Manchester who heard his barking from the cellar of their property.
They called the local Fox Rescuers group who confirmed the small animal was stuck in their four-inch-wide sewer pipe.
The team dug a hole and removed the pipe – with the owner’s permission – to finally free the little fox.
The cheeky cub was then taken in by the Fox Rescuers who hope to return him to the wild once rehabilitated.
RSPCA officer Lee Ferrans, who took part in the operation, said: “The pipe was at a right angle which meant it was very difficult to insert equipment into it to free the cub.
“The Quick Drains team installed a camera in the pipe so we could check that the fox was still breathing and luckily it was.
“You could tell he was very distressed, he hadn’t eaten for a few days and he needed to get out as quickly as possible.”
“He is now with the Fox Rescuers who are doing a fantastic job rehabilitating him.”
“Once it is strong enough, it will be released into the wild.
The team dug a hole and removed the pipe – with the owner’s permission – to finally free the little fox
The team first tried to use forceps to get him out and then left some food for the cub, but he refused to eat it.
Fox cubs are born in the spring after the fox mating season in January
The cheeky cub was then taken away by Fox rescuers who hope to return him to the wild once rehabilitated.
“It was a great example of what we can achieve together for the welfare of animals of all kinds.
“Rescues like this are always tense because we all want the best for the animal. I’m so happy this fox was released, it was a true joint effort.
Fox cubs are born in the spring after the fox mating season in January.
They are born deaf and blind and weigh around 100g – and become sighted and hearing from around two weeks old.
Cubs are also born with dark gray fur – with their signature red coloring appearing around one month of age.
And after six to eight weeks, the kits are weaned from their mother and begin to explore the outside of the den on their own.
The RSPCA says if you see a cub alone in spring, it may not have been abandoned.
Instead, it’s normal to see month-old cubs developing their surface survival skills during the day and their parents are usually watching nearby.
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