Basil the friendly wild fox is getting used to a new life at an animal sanctuary, where he will spend the rest of his days, after he was rescued from a field in Doddington and had to have a leg amputated.
The animal was found struggling in incredible pain and limping badly from a shot wound.
Animal rescue man Dan Martin, who runs Facebook page, That Wildlife Rescue Guy. took a call about the wounded animal, which was in a field at the back of his workshop in the village where he customises cars.
He said: “The fox was out in broad daylight limping badly on his hind foot, I attended as fast as I could armed with just a soft towel.
“After spotting him in a field I could see he was desperate for help and with my trusty towel I slowly approached him talking softly to him and crouching down to his level as I got closer.
“After 20 minutes I earned his trust to get close enough to let him sniff me and I slowly pointed at his foot repeatedly so he knew what I was there for.
“After a brief discussion with him (I was doing all the talking), about what the plan was, I gently wrapped the towel around him and scooped him up with no fuss whatsoever - luckily for my fingers.
“Once I got him home I booked him in for an appointment at the vets as the wound had mangled his foot and was quite old too.
“I gave him pain relief and spoilt him rotten before bed time. The following morning he was bright and grateful, he even came to the front seat for a cuddle once we arrived at the vets.”
Dan took the animal to the Holbeach and Fleet Veterinary Clinic where the practice manager’s wife, a fox lover, carried out the amputation surgery for free.
Dan said: “As Basil was so cuddly with me I opted to stay with him for the hour and a half wait for his surgery which he seemed really happy about, I was even there as he drifted off to sleep on the operating table.
“His surgery went well and he now lives the easy life with the National Fox Welfare Society.”
• The National Fox Welfare Society is a voluntary organisation that has been running for over 20 years and is dedicated to helping the red fox in the UK by providing rescues for sick and injured foxes, free treatments for foxes suffering from sarcoptic mange, free mange treatment advice, cage traps for critically sick foxes though still mobile. They also provide a fox sanctuary for foxes that can’t go back to the wild. All rescuers, cage trap setters, fox cub fosterers, release site providers are all voluntary.
• Visit www.nfws.org.uk, email natfox@ntlworld.com, call 01933 411996
• For fox rescue emergency call: 07778 183954.
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