A fox that was trapped underneath the car that hit it on a Fenland road is on the mend thanks to a £1,000 rescue effort by charity volunteers.
The poignant face of the fox stared up at members of Fenland Animal Rescue (FAR) who arrived on a rescue mission.
They used a car jack to release the fox but it was rushed to a vet in near March after being unable to stand and appeared to be suffering brain damage.
Amical Veterinary Centre sedated and tested the fox before it was transferred to the Broadway Veterinary Hospital in Peterborough.
A Fenland Animal Rescue spokesman said: “The poor boy was in a terrible situation and it’s the quick thinking of the public that called our team that meant he was able to receive life saving treatment fast.
“The cost of stabilising and treating the little chap is high and already over £1,000. Whilst some may think it’s a ‘waste’ of money, we believe that every life is worth no amount of money and we will do whatever necessary to help the animals in need.
“It’s our belief that money is always replaceable, but a life is not.”
The animal was later taken to the National Fox Welfare Society in Rushden, Northamptonshire, where he will stay until being returned to the wild.
Fenland Animal Rescue was founded two years ago by rescue specialist, Joshua Flanagan.
The charity runs its own foster and adoption programme that allows animals to find a loving home, and has rescued around 120 animals.
Fenland Animal Rescue missions have included:
• Two swans stuck in a drainage canal in Hampton, Peterborough – February 2017
The FAR team was forced to take to the water in order to save two troubled swans which had been stuck in a drainage canal for a number of weeks.
Volunteers jumped in a kayak to rescue the birds and despite a struggle, the swans were caught, assessed and eventually released back into the wild.
• An otter pup found lying in a road in Whittlesey – December 2016
An otter pup was nursed back to full health by the FAR team after being found lying lifeless in a road in Whittlesey.
The pup was given food, water and its own pen whilst being monitored by volunteers, before being transferred to a wildlife sanctuary in Scotland.
• A sparrowhawk found in a Chatteris garden – October 2016
Fenland Animal Rescue leapt to the aid of a sparrowhawk, which was found downed and unable to fly in a Chatteris garden.
Believed to have been downed due to bad weather, the injured bird of prey was rehydrated, fed and monitored by the team’s animal rescue technician, Russ Huber, before being released.
• A tortoise found wandering down an Outwell street – October 2016
Fenland Animal Rescue helped reunite a 45-year-old tortoise with its owner after it was found wandering along a street in Outwell.
After receiving a call from a member of the public, the tortoise – called Henry – was picked up by the FAR team and assessed for any illnesses or injuries.
Henry received the all clear and was eventually reunited with his owner after the FAR team had tracked them down.
“He is one very lucky tortoise, that’s for sure!” said a FAR spokesman.
• Dramatic rooftop rescue of a peacock in Friday Bridge – June 2016
Perhaps the most bizarre of all the team’s recent rescues, volunteers were called to help retrieve a peacock which had become stranded on a roof in Friday Bridge.
The colourful bird put up “a bit of a fight,” according to volunteers, but was eventually rescued and taken to the charity’s Whittlesey rehabilitation centre.
“None of the residents knew where this bird had come from, or anything about a potential owner in the area,” said a spokesman.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here