What to do if you find a fox with its head stuck in a bottle

The trapped animal was saved after being spotted by a member of the public in Hastings over the weekend with an old plastic drinking bottle over its head.

The Good Samaritan managed to contain the confused cub with a pet carrier in their garden before calling the RSPCA.

The RSPCA came to the aid of the trapped fox

By gently massaging the skin around its neck and folding back its ears, officers were able to remove the bottle from the fox’s head.

Fortunately, the cub’s mother was still waiting nearby and was safely reunited with her distressed cub.

The RSPCA said that if they had not intervened, the animal would have likely suffocated or starved to death.

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RSPCA Inspector Georgina Bowles said: “This poor fox had got his head well and truly stuck inside an old plastic drinking bottle.

“What usually happens is an animal may have put their head inside the bottle and their ears go down and lay flat against their head but once their ears spring back up they get stuck and are unable to remove the bottle themselves.

“I had to slowly massage the skin around the neck and gently tease out the fur a bit at a time until I could find the ears and could carefully fold them down so that the bottle can then slide off the fox’s head.

“Sadly, we do see incidents of wildlife caught up in litter and it’s a stark reminder that everyone needs to help protect animals by picking up any litter they see lying around as well as ensuring they take their litter home with them or disposing of it properly and responsibly.”

The fox was put in a pet carrier to give the RSPCA a chance to respond to the incident

Last year, the animal welfare charity received nearly 4,000 calls relating to animals affected by litter, with 133 in East Sussex alone.

It has become an increasing problem during the Covid pandemic, with many people not disposing of their face masks properly.

The cub was reunited with its mum who was waiting near by

Adam Grogan, head of the RSPCA’s wildlife department, said: “Our staff deal with thousands of incidents every year where animals have been impacted by litter - and they’re the ones that we know of.

“I’m sure for every animal we’re able to help there are many that go unseen, unreported and may even lose their lives.

“Animals who get their heads or necks stuck in litter can suffer severe injuries as they struggle to break free and can even suffocate, while others will slowly grow weaker and weaker as they try to hunt or find food or water.

“Sadly, litter is one of the biggest hazards our wildlife faces today and the pandemic has just added to the problem with many disposable masks being discarded on the ground which is why we urge people to dispose of all their litter properly.”