Look back on 2019: Animals do the funniest things...
RSPCA officers never quite know what they’re walking into from one job to the next.
The charity - which rescues more than 110,000 animals every year - is often called out to shocking, and upsetting incidents of animal cruelty and neglect. But the RSPCA’s rescuers are also on the frontline when it comes to helping animals who find themselves in a spot of bother - and these can often be rather amusing...
1. ‘I can seal so far up here!’
An injured grey seal stumped RSPCA rescuers who were called to collect him - from the top of a 10ft high World War Two pillbox on Fraisthorpe Beach in Yorkshire’s East Riding on 26 February. RSPCA animal collection officer Leanne Honess-Heather and deputy chief inspector Claire Mitchell arrived after Scarborough Sea Life Centre requested help having being called by a concerned member of the public who reported that the seal had been stuck for over 24 hours. Leanne said: “The poor seal was clearly distressed and we could see he had injured his eye. The sheer sides and height of the pillbox made the rescue quite a challenge. We managed to manoeuvre him into a net and, supporting his weight between us, carefully lowered him.” He received veterinary treatment and was returned to the wild the following day.
2. Oh deer!
A male roe deer found himself in a spot of bother when he got stuck in metal railings. The deer was spooked by a passing jogger on 29 April and got trapped in the fence around St James’ Churchyard in Barlborough, Derbyshire. The runner alerted the RSPCA and animal collection officer Caitlin McNaughton attended and called Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service for help. She said: “The poor deer was quite distressed so we had to work quickly to free him which we did in a few minutes. He was uninjured and as soon as the fire service had prised open the bars he ran off - which was great to see.”
3. ‘That’s slow strange!’
A woman enjoying a bath had a fright when she spotting a slow worm poking his head poking out of an air vet! RSPCA animal collection officer Ellie Jones went to the home in Bristol on 11 June to the ‘snake’ trapped in the vent. Ellie said: “It was a slightly tricky rescue as we had to free him with the bathroom lights switched off. When the light was on it activated the fan in the vent and we didn’t want the slow worm to get injured. Thankfully I was able to wriggle him free and he wasn’t any worse for wear so I was able to release him in a field nearby.”
4. Caught red-pawed!
A greedy squirrel got caught red-pawed with his hands in the cookie jar after getting trapped in a bird feed. Inspector Suzi Smith was called to Redditch, Worcestershire, on 30 July to the help the stricken grey squirrel. She said: “He’d somehow managed to get his back legs wedged right in the metal bars and, thrashing around, knocked the bird feeder over the fence and onto the grass.” Suzi put the whole feeder into a basket and wrapped the squirrel in a towel so she could carefully wriggle him free by cutting a couple of the bars. Luckily he wasn’t injured so she released him there and then.
5. Surprissssssse!
A woman had a surprisssssse after opening her kitchen drawer to find a SNAKE inside! She called a neighbour who alerted the police and the RSPCA was called in to help. Animal collection officer Rachel Edwards went to the house in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, on 7 July to collect the cornsnake, thought to be an escaped pet.
6. Turtle mystery
Rolls-Royce staff were shell-shocked after finding a turtle wandering through their Technology and Logistics Centre in West Sussex. The employees discovered the turtle exploring the HGV yard and managed to confine him in a box and put him into a water-filled sink. RSPCA animal collection officer went to collect the Chinese soft shell turtle on 2 July from the warehouse in Bognor Regis. She said: “It’s a turtle mystery how this little guy got into the warehouse! The centre is in the middle of nowhere so I haven’t a clue where he’s come from.” It is believed the turtle had been abandoned in a pond nearby before making his way onto the industrial estate. Claire took him to another animal centre for specialist care.
7. Fassssst food
The RSPCA launched an investigation after a baby snake was abandoned in a takeaway tub in McDonald’s. The three-week-old corn snake was found by a member of staff at the Middlesbrough fast-food chain on 6 July. Animal collection officer Shane Lynn went to collect the snake. He said: “We believe he was abandoned by someone who couldn’t provide him with the care he needed. Unfortunately this is something we often see happening with exotic pets such as reptiles.” The snake was taken in by a specialist.
8. Out-foxed
An embarrassed fox needed a helping hand after getting stuck in a tangle of ivy hanging from a garden fence. RSPCA animal collection officer Cara Gibbon went to the Solihull garden on 17 October. She said: “The fox was in a real tangle but I was able to cut him down and, thankfully, he wasn’t injured. His nails were a little worn down from scratching at the fence but I was able to release him back into the gardens straight away.”
9. Rock-a-py baby!
A five-month-old’s parents were horrified when they found a 1m-long python slithering around their daughter’s nursery in Tadworth, Surrey. RSPCA animal collection officer Louis Horton went to collect the royal python on 7 August and soon discovered he belonged to a neighbour and had been missing for three months. “It turns out he was called Gozer the Gozerian - named after Ghostbusters - and belonged to the family’s neighbour,” Louis said. Gozer’s owner, Bex, said: “He’d pushed the air vent out in his vivarium and managed to squeeze out the tiny gap! We’re not sure how he got next door but he has been known to push doors open by rubbing up against them so he may have pushed his way out of the room and through the cavity wall to next door’s house.”
10. Tyred fox wheely needs help!
Storage centre workers in Bristol found a fox with his head stuck in the middle of an old tyre. RSPCA officers moved the stricken fox on 4 October to Bristol ARC where staff used veterinary lubricant and rubbed it all over his head and neck to slowly and carefully manoeuvre him out. The fox - nicknamed Michelin by staff - was taken back to the area he was found and released. Inspector Alan Barnes - who helped with the rescue - said: “Michelin was very lucky to have been spotted in the undergrowth otherwise it could have been an awful demise for him. I’m so thrilled his story had such a happy ending and we were able to work so quickly, as a team, to free him and get him back into the wild.”
11. Fearless ferret
RSPCA and fire service teams were called to Bishop Auckland, County Durham, on 9 April to rescue a ferret who got stuck in a waste pipe - at the top of a two-storey building! The ferret - nicknamed Lucky - was found with her head poking out of the top of the pipe. Inspector Kaye Smith said: “The caller heard scuffling noises when she went into the bathroom and her cat was going crackers in there. When she went outside, she spotted the ferret’s head just peeking out of the waste pipe two-storeys up! We have no idea how the ferret got there or where she had come from.” The fire brigade came to rescue Lucky and she was taken to a ferret rescue home.
12. Addercadabra!
A Cardiff taxi driver had an unexpected passenger on board – after discovering a corn snake under the bonnet of a taxi. The driver contact RSPCA Cymru on 11 October and an officer went to collect the snake which was just beneath the bonnet. Fortunately, despite being a little underweight and cold, the snake had no major welfare concerns and was taken to specialist facilities for boarding.
RSPCA inspector Christine McNeil said: “This was certainly one of the more unusual calls I've dealt with recently, with a bright orange corn snake found under the bonnet of a taxi!”
13. ‘Oh high there!’
A young seal found herself in quite an unusual predicament - on top of a 50m-high sea cliff at Abercastle. A member of the public spotted the one-month-old seal pup on 29 September and a call was made to the RSPCA. Animal collection officer Ellie West said: “This was quite an unusual place to find a seal as she must have travelled some distance and up a steep incline to get there. However she got there, she was very much lost and unsure where she was going.” She was moved to Welsh Marine Life Rescue (WMLR) and then taken to RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre in Nantwich for rehabilitation.
14. Where have you bin?
A woman from South Croydon had a shock when she heard strange noises coming from the bins at the front of her home - and found a tiny fox cub inside one on 22 May. She called the RSPCA for help and animal collection officer Mat Hawkins went to help. He said: “This poor little chap was cowering amongst the discarded drinks cans and food containers at the bottom of the bin. He was making quite a noise. There’s a drop from the house’s front garden down to the bins, so we think he may have been playing in the garden, then slipped over the edge and fallen straight into the bin! As the sides of the bin were slippery and steep, there was no way he would have been able to get out on his own, so it’s lucky the householder spotted him when she did.” He managed to get him out, give him a check-up and then released him.
15. That’s embaaaaaa-rassing!
A walker found a sheep having a baaaaad day - with her head stuck fast in a wire fence. RSPCA inspector Charlotte Coggins was called to Barnstaple on 5 December to help the stricken sheep. She said: “When I got there it was pitch black and freezing cold but I managed to find the poor sheep - she was well and truly stuck. I think she’d reached through to try to nibble the leaves on the other side of the fence and got her head and neck stuck!” She pushed the sheep free and released her back to the rest of her flock.
16. Looking foxy
A woman was shocked to find a fox curled up in a wardrobe in her second-floor flat! She contacted the RSPCA and Inspector Michell Smith went to the flat in Dagenham, London, on 14 December. He said: “I suspect he came into the block to escape the rain as it had been pouring outside and somehow ended up on the second floor and in this flat! He found himself a dark, warm and dry corner and curled up for a snooze! I managed to get hold of him but as soon as I got him outside he was really desperate to get away so I let him go and he ran off into the undergrowth.”
17. Hay - Help!
A horse needed help after getting stuck in a cattle grid in Abertillery, Wales. The horse had managed to get two legs on one side stuck under the bars - with the RSPCA and fire service being called for assistance. Animal collection officer Stephanie Davidson said: “This poor horse was understandably in quite a bit of distress as he was unable to move and free himself from the cattle grid. The horse must have just tried to walk over it and unfortunately slipped in. Thanks to the specialist equipment and expertise from the fire service, the horse was cut free from the bars. He had been through quite an ordeal, but was okay after he was released. He was checked over by a vet, and there were no breaks, with the horse being able to walk off to a stable for a rest. I was so relieved but surprised he got up and walked off.”
18. Cat-astrophe
An elderly cat used one of his nine lives - after getting his leg stuck in a washing machine door. RSPCA animal collection officer Cara Gibbon was called out to Tipton, West Midlands, on 19 December after 19-year-old Sooty was found stuck by his owner. She said: “Sooty’s owner had been out at work and returned to find the poor puss dangling from the washing machine with one of his rear legs trapped in the door hinge. He was completely wedged. I have no idea how he managed to get into that predicament!” She managed to wriggle his free after covering him in washing up liquid! Thankfully, Sooty wasn’t injured - but his owner will now be keeping the washing machine door closed.
