Young fox pulled from river by emergency services after stuck in mud
This is the moment a young fox was pulled from the mud after getting stuck on a river bank during the height of mating season. Emergency services used a large pole to reach the distressed animal to pull it out of the thick river mud. It is thought the frisky fox had been taking part in typical January mating season before wandering aimlessly into the the river and getting stuck.Locals alerted authorities after noticing the bushy-tailed mammal hiding in the reeds, eight foot from the river bank.Four firefighters and a volunteer from animal charity The Fox Project launched the 30 minute rescue mission which saw the male fox safely removed from the River Medway with a dog grasper. The fox - named River by rescuers - was transported to a local animal charity for veterinary checks before being safely released.Eyewitness Julie Mitchell, 63, from Rochester, Kent, said: "To be honest I thought it may have been a body at first but realised there wasn't any police around. "A car was parked with its hazard lights on and they were waiting for ages."Then I thought it was a swan in difficulty but I couldn't see any white feathers. "At the end of the pole was this rust coloured animal which I thought was a dog."So I was very surprised when it turned out to be a fox."I've never seen a rescue like that before. "The poor thing was completely covered in mud."A spokesman for Kent-based animal charity The Fox Project said: "Our rescuer Jan Hooper was worried that the fox was too far out from the water's edge to safely pursue him, therefore the local fire brigade were called as back up. "They braved the soggy mud at the river's edge and eased towards the fox that was hiding up in reeds around 8 foot from the bank."He was transported back to our headquarters near Tunbridge Wells. "River was one of the lucky ones and it seems there was no damage done. "With a quick check over from our veterinary surgeon in the morning, we are expecting to receive the "okay" to set him free, rested with a good meal inside him."He will be ready to join in the shenanigans of the breeding season once more."A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue said: "Kent Fire and Rescue Service was called to reports of a fox stuck in mud off The Esplanade, Rochester. "One fire engine attended and the crew used a reach pole to rescue the animal, which was passed into the care of a local animal charity."The video was filmed January 25 2021.
This is the moment a young fox was pulled from the mud after getting stuck on a river bank during the height of mating season.
Emergency services used a large pole to reach the distressed animal to pull it out of the thick river mud.
It is thought the frisky fox had been taking part in typical January mating season before wandering aimlessly into the the river and getting stuck.Locals alerted authorities after noticing the bushy-tailed mammal hiding in the reeds, eight foot from the river bank.Four firefighters and a volunteer from animal charity The Fox Project launched the 30 minute rescue mission which saw the male fox safely removed from the River Medway with a dog grasper.
The fox - named River by rescuers - was transported to a local animal charity for veterinary checks before being safely released.Eyewitness Julie Mitchell, 63, from Rochester, Kent, said: "To be honest I thought it may have been a body at first but realised there wasn't any police around.
"A car was parked with its hazard lights on and they were waiting for ages."Then I thought it was a swan in difficulty but I couldn't see any white feathers.
"At the end of the pole was this rust coloured animal which I thought was a dog."So I was very surprised when it turned out to be a fox."I've never seen a rescue like that before.
"The poor thing was completely covered in mud."A spokesman for Kent-based animal charity The Fox Project said: "Our rescuer Jan Hooper was worried that the fox was too far out from the water's edge to safely pursue him, therefore the local fire brigade were called as back up.
"They braved the soggy mud at the river's edge and eased towards the fox that was hiding up in reeds around 8 foot from the bank."He was transported back to our headquarters near Tunbridge Wells.
"River was one of the lucky ones and it seems there was no damage done.
"With a quick check over from our veterinary surgeon in the morning, we are expecting to receive the "okay" to set him free, rested with a good meal inside him."He will be ready to join in the shenanigans of the breeding season once more."A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue said: "Kent Fire and Rescue Service was called to reports of a fox stuck in mud off The Esplanade, Rochester.
"One fire engine attended and the crew used a reach pole to rescue the animal, which was passed into the care of a local animal charity."The video was filmed January 25 2021.
