RSPCA warning as Devon third worst county in UK for animals trapped in netting

Animals are being put at risk because of sports nets in gardens Credit: RSPCA

The RSPCA is warning that animals are being put in danger after getting trapped in sports netting left in people's gardens.

New data has revealed hundreds of animals have become entangled in the West Country.

The charity received more than three hundred calls in the region last year after animals became trapped in household items such as football nets.

Devon was found to be the third worst county in the UK, while Cornwall figures were also found to be above the national average.

The RSPCA received 118 calls about wildlife becoming stuck in people's netting in Devon, and sixty nine in the Duchy - compared to a national average of forty seven.

The charity is now urging people to put sports netting away overnight, to prevent animals from becoming trapped, which can lead to them dying.

RSPCA Scientific Officer Evie Button said: “Football and other types of netting may be fun for humans but can be very dangerous for wild animals if they are left out overnight.

“Our officers are very busy attending call-outs to rescue animals caught up in sports netting and in the past couple of months, we have had a spate of young foxes in particular becoming entangled. At that age, they’re very curious but unaware of the dangers.

Foxes are just some of the mammals becoming trapped in sports netting - and this can prove fatal Credit: RSPCA

“Getting tangled 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 - as seen recently - even death."

The RSPCA says wild animals can often become trapped during the night, which can leave them struggling for hours leading them to needing veterinary attention and sedation to cut them free.

“We would urge those using sports netting to remove and store all nets after their game and put any discarded or old netting safely in a bin. Any garden fence netting should be replaced with solid metal mesh and use wood panels as fencing instead of netting," Officer Button added.

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In 2021, the RSPCA took 2,216 calls about animals - from foxes to hedgehogs - which had become entangled in netting.

Of the 519 incidents reported to the RSPCA about wild mammals tangled in netting in 2021, 260 were related to foxes, 135 were hedgehogs and 60 to deer.

How many animals became entangled in netting in the West Country in 2021:

  • Bristol - 32

  • Cornwall - 69

  • Devon - 118

  • Dorset - 54

  • Gloucestershire - 44

  • Somerset - 47

  • Wiltshire - 19