The RSPCA is urging people to put away their back garden football nets to help prevent animals getting injured.

The charity said it received 1,644 reports in 2023 of wildlife getting trapped in netting, with this being more common in May, June and July.

Last year, the RSPCA had 60 calls in East Sussex of animals becoming trapped in netting, and 40 calls in West Sussex.

There are now concerns that these incidents may get worse as the European Championships goes on and more people get their goalposts out.

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RSPCA scientific officer Rebecca Machin said: "We know so many people will be getting excited about Euro 2024 - and think it's great that many people will be inspired by the action and want to get outside and have a kick about themselves.

"But 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. 

People should avoid leaving netting out  (Image: RSPCA)

“The problem is so serious that during this May, we dealt with 53 incidents of netting-entangled foxes - mostly cubs - and that sadly included at least one fox cub death. That’s even higher than the numbers for the previous May (2023), when there were 52 incidents."

As well as foxes, hedgehogs, deer and domestic pets like cats can become fatally tangled in nets.

The charity said that if people find a small animal trapped in netting, they should gently disentangle the animal themselves if it’s safe and possible for them to do so. 

If the animal is bigger, people are advised to call for expert help.

Animals stuck in netting get very stressed, the RSPCA has said (Image: RSPCA)

More information can be found at https://www.rspca.org.uk/.

Rebecca said: “Getting caught up in netting is very stressful for an animal, particularly one that’s wild. And if the animal gets seriously entangled, netting - whether it’s used for sports, fencing or the garden - can cause severe injuries or even death. 

“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.

“We’re all looking forward to a summer of sport - including the Euros, Copa America and the Olympics -  and many of us will be having our own kick abouts in the garden. But we urge people to be aware of the dangers of football and other netting.

“Keeping animals safe is really easy. We can all play our part in helping animals by making sure unused sports netting is tidied away safely after use."