RSPCA urging Essex households to put away hazardous football nets as animals get trapped
The animal charity received 41 callouts to help save fox cubs, deers, hedgehogs, and cats across the county last year
The RSPCA's urging households across Essex to look out for hazards in their gardens after hundreds of animals were injured in the last year.
The charity says it had almost 1500 reports of things like fox cubs, deers, hedgehogs, and even cats getting tangled in football nets.
41 of the callouts were in Essex, with almost half in the peak months of May, June and July.
According to the data, Greater London’s back gardens and community spaces seem to be the most hazardous for animals with 230 netting incidents reported last year.
The charity fears this year could be even worse, with a flood of recent reports including 47 separate incidents of fox cubs caught already this month (up to 27 May).
Animals, especially young fox cubs, can be trapped, injured or even killed by innocent-looking goal nets.
The RSPCA is calling on the public to help save animals’ lives by putting away their back garden football nets after use.
RSPCA Scientific Officer Rebecca Machin said: "Our data shows that unattended football and other netting can trap, injure and even kill wildlife and pets, so it’s really important to put nets safely away when they’re not being used after the game is done.
“The problem is so serious.
“It’s not just foxes that are affected; other wild mammals like hedgehogs and deer, and even domestic pet mammals - including cats, can become potentially fatally entangled.
Of the 263 wild mammals that were reported to have been caught up in netting last year, foxes were most likely to become entangled (172), followed by deer (43), then hedgehogs (30).
Wild birds fared even worse, with 1,584 individual birds, from robins and swallows to gulls and pigeons, becoming entangled.
The charity even received reports of cats, dogs, parrots and exotic pet snakes affected by netting.
If a small animal like a bird or hedgehog is found caught up in netting but is uninjured, the RSPCA say the fastest way to help it is to gently and carefully disentangle the animal yourselves.
Animals who have been entangled will need checking over by a vet, as they may have hidden injuries.
Whenever people are able to help animals in need, it frees up RSPCA specialist officers to focus on animal cruelty and neglect.
Rebecca adds: “As wild animals frequently get trapped during the night, they may have been struggling for many hours by the time they are found in the morning and often need veterinary attention and sedation to cut them free.”
There’s more information about how to help animals on the RSPCA website.
If you spot an animal which is trapped, in distress, or in need of help, contact the RSPCA's 24-hour cruelty line on 0300 1234 999 or visit the RSPCA website at: www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/litter.