'She wouldn't be free without help' - RSPCA thanks West Midlands Fire Service after fox rescue in Wolverhampton

The curious cub was spotted in Whitmore Reans in a tight spot after it had put its head through the middle of a wheel alloy and could not get it back out. 

A member of the public spotted her struggling and contacted the RSPCA.

RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Charlotte Holder arrived on scene and attempted to free the fox to no avail - and the fox was becoming increasingly distressed - so she called for help. 

West Midlands Fire Service's Tettenhall crew found the fox in a fix and, with the help of the RSPCA and the Technical Rescue Unit, they carefully freed it.

Now, the animal rescue charity have thanked the team for taking the time to free the fox as they say she wouldn't have gotten free without them. 

Rescue Office Charlotte said: “This poor fox was clearly terrified. Thankfully West Midland Fire & Rescue Service were able to free the fox.

“She’s now getting the care he needs at Vale Wildlife Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre and will be released back into the wild when she is ready. I’m so grateful to the fire and rescue service for sparing some of their time to help this little fox - she really wouldn’t have been able to free himself without help from us all.

“In the spring, it's normal to see month-old cubs developing their survival skills above ground during the day. Their parents are usually nearby, watching. Parent foxes are unlikely to approach the cubs if people are around. Vixens will move their litter one by one if they feel the den has been disturbed and so you may come across cubs then."

Last year, a whopping 10,209 wild animals were admitted to the charity’s wildlife centres, compared to 7,519 in 2023 - a staggering 35% increase in just one year.

Rapidly rising intake of wild animals at centres follows a busy year for the charity on the frontline. Across England and Wales, 40,003 incidents relating to wild animals were reported to the RSPCA in 2024. The majority of reports concerned sick or injured wild animals (25,172), followed by concerns about a trapped wild animal (8,111). 

Now, the RSPCA hopes the public can help keep wild animals safe by creating havens in their own gardens, or local community green spaces - offering a “lifeline” to many animals, and easing the burden on the RSPCA on the frontline and in its dedicated wildlife centres.

RSPCA wildlife expert Rebecca Machin said: “These shocking wildlife centre admission numbers show that wild animals face huge challenges. We cannot tackle this alone - so we’re urgently asking the public to do their bit to help animals.

“We’d like to make gardens a better place for wildlife, from removing hazards like netting which can seriously injure or kill, to ensuring that your garden offers an environment that can help a range of wild animals flourish, such as adding ponds and wild areas."

For more information on how you can help make your area safe for wildlife visit the RSPCA website.