Animals who got stuck in things: The RSPCA's top ten South East rescues of 2021

Animals tend to be inquisitive by nature.

But that sense of curiosity left some in a tight spot this last year, as their adventures left critters well and truly stuck.

From the frog in a bouquet to a fox stuck in a duck statue, Britain's wild critters kept rescuers busy in 2021.

The RSPCA has shared a list of its top 10 strangest rescues in the South East in the past year.

In 2021, a whopping 281,390 incidents were reported to the RSPCA's frontline teams via its emergency hotline.

A total 44,998 of those were in the South East - including helping lots of animals who got themselves into rather amusing pickles.

10. 'Grate result'

A fox cub needed help after getting his back leg stuck in the metal grate of a drain in Berkhamsted.

Rescuer Lauren Bailey was called to help the stricken youngster on 8 August when passersby spotted the poor cub.

She said: “The fox must have got stuck after his leg fell down the gap and was quite distressed and bedraggled from the rainwhen I arrived.

"We offered him a little dish of water and then set about carefully trying to wriggle him free.

"Thankfully, I was able to get him out but was concerned about his leg so took him to a wildlife hospital for treatment.”

9. 'Caught red-pawed'

This squirrel was caught red-pawed helping himself to the nuts for the birds after getting stuck inside a bird feeder cage, made to stop the squirrels! Rescuer Claire Thomas was called out to Ashford, Kent, on 7 August to help the stricken squirrel.

She said: “The little so-and-so had managed to get inside the bars and was helping himself to the nuts! He was still trying to chomp on the peanut as I freed him.

"He wasn’t injured so I set him free and he scampered off back into the garden.” 

8. 'Bat's tight spot'

A tiny pipistrelle bat ended up in a spot of bother after falling down a metal light shaft in a loft in Thatcham, Berkshire. The concerned homeowners contacted the RSPCA for help and rescuer Becky Timberlake went to help on 25 July.

She said: “The poor tiny bat had fallen down the shaft and couldn’t get back out again. I was able to catch him and check him over and, luckily, the delicate little bat was injured.

"I kept him in a quiet, warm and dark box until it was dusk and then released him nearby so he could find his way back to his roost.”

7. 'Stowaway' frog

A florist was left in a panic after finding a tiny exotic frog in a shipment of flowers from overseas. Inspector Jo Bowling went to Cranleigh, Surrey, on 17 July to collect the pretty orange flower, still wrapped in cellophane, with a little frog inside.

She took the stowaway to the charity’s Brighton Reptile Rescue where he was identified as a striped spiny reed from the bushland of West Africa.

6. 'Snake's tight spot'

This poor grass snake ended up in a tight spot after being shut underneath a fire door at a hotel in Dorking, Surrey.

RSPCA rescuer Chloe Wilson was called to help him after he was spotted by staff arriving for their morning shift with his body trapped inside and his head outside, on 6 July.

They opened the door and noticed his injuries so Chloe took him to Wildlife Aid nearby for full assessment and treatment. 

5. 'Outfoxed'

A little fox needed help after getting her head stuck in a concrete mosquito trap in a West Sussex garden.

Inspector Kate Barnes was called to a home in Littlehampton on 15 June after the cub got stuck while seeking food.

Kate said: “The concrete was very thick and strong so I called for assistance from West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service’s technical rescue team.

"They managed to break the concrete using spreaders but had to be incredibly careful not to injure the little fox in the process. We popped her in a cage and checked her over but, thankfully, she didn’t appear to have any injuries from her ordeal.

"I decided she was well enough to release in the garden so she could find her way back to her den and recover in the comfort of her own home!”

4. 'Fox car racer'

The RSPCA was called in to help after a young fox was found hiding under the passenger seat of a classic Alfa Romeo. The car had been driven from Hove in East Sussex to a garage where mechanics found the little fox curled up under the seat and called the charity for help. Inspector Kate Barnes responded to the call on 18 May.

Kate caught him, took him to a suitable area nearby and released him back into the wild. Kate said: “We have had lots of rain recently so it may have been that he was looking for some shelter and didn’t realise he was about to be taken on a trip through Sussex!”

3. Pigeon 'feeling blue'

A pigeon was feeling blue after falling into a tray of paint at a Surrey police station! RSPCA rescuer Nat Kitchin was called to Guildford Police Station on 5 May by the decorators after the pigeon got more than he bargained for.

Nat said: “The decorators were painting the cells and found a pigeon who’d managed to get locked in.

"In his panic to escape he fell into a tray of blue paint and ended up in a right mess!”

Nat caught the bird and took him to Wildlife Air nearby where, thankfully, staff were able to clean the water-based paint off his feathers.

2. 'Animal quackers'

A fox cub found himself in a fix after getting stuck fast inside a metal duck-shaped planter! RSPCA animal rescue officer Brian Milligan was called to Faversham, Kent, on 13 April.

He said: “Fox cubs are incredibly inquisitive and that does mean they end up in rather strange situations sometimes. This cub had got himself wedged inside a metal wire, duck-shaped planter in someone’s garden! It took a while to cut him free and his mum was nowhere to be seen so we took him to our wildlife centre nearby to be reared before being released when he’s old enough.”

1. 'Oh deer!'

Animal rescuers from the fire service and RSPCA used hydraulics to prise a tree and concrete post apart to free a trapped deer.

The rescue team was called to woodland in Reading, Berkshire, on 14 February after the stricken fallow deer was spotted.

RSPCA animal rescue officer Rachel Edwards said: “I suspect the deer was running along the fenceline and thought she could squeeze through but misjudged the gap and got stuck!”

Firefighters used hydraulic equipment to push against the post and widen the gap so they could carefully wriggle the deer free. Thankfully she wasn’t injured, and was able to be released back into the wild.