Workers at the South Essex Wildlife Hospital worked around the clock to free a fox cub caught in bitumen in a London industrial estate.
The BBC reported the hospital staff described the case as one of the "most horrific" they'd ever seen. The poor cub was discovered in a container of bitumen by workers on the estate who used baby oil to try to free it. After professionals arrived on the scene, it took half an hour to free each of the cub's limbs using baby oil and WD-40.
The unique situation puzzled staff, as Lawrie Brailey, the hospital's operations manager, explained: "When you go to something like that and look at that animal … you're then left wondering what you can do, and the problem is there's not much information on what we do; it's a lot of trial and error."
It took three days and 30 bottles of baby oil, along with some selective barber work to hack off some matted pieces, but the cub is on the road to recovery. While it may be too late to reunite the three-month-old cub with its mother, staff are hopeful that it can be released back into the wild when it is ready.
The story serves as a stark reminder that developments often come at the expense of local wildlife. Whether it's habitat destruction or plastic waste, animals are frequently caught up in the by-products of human activity. Equally, however, the fox's plight highlights the importance of local action supported by the financial backing of community members.
The hospital's social media post garnered over 1,000 comments expressing sympathy and gratitude, with many pledging donations.
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One touching comment said: "So glad you are the chosen charity at my mum's funeral last week. She loved feeding her foxes. I hope that little darling makes a full recovery."
"You people at the wildlife hospital are above wonderful," added another. "I will definitely be making a donation."
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