Earlier this month, a homeowner in the United Kingdom had just finished power-washing his deck when he heard faint cries rising from beneath the boards. Curious, he lifted a plank — and froze. Huddled together in the dark were five tiny, trembling babies.
Soaked, freezing, and with no mother in sight, the little creatures seemed helpless. Believing they were abandoned kittens, the man quickly reached out to The Cat Welfare Group for advice. Rescuers urged him to wrap the babies in warm towels and bring them in immediately.
When the tiny animals arrived, Cat Welfare Group CEO Lorri Baynes rushed to help.
“All I could feel was freezing-cold fur,” Baynes told The Dodo. “I grabbed them all and placed them in a pre-warmed unit while calling our vet.”
But as Baynes weighed one of the little ones, she suddenly realized something surprising: these weren’t kittens at all. They were fox kits.
“Honestly, my first thought was, ‘Oh crap,’” Baynes admitted with a laugh. “Then, ‘OK — same rules apply. We need to get them warm and find a fox rescue who can help.’”
Baynes quickly connected with Second Chance Fox Rescue and Rehabilitation, who guided her through the next steps. Before long, a volunteer arrived to collect the kits and bring them to their specialized facility.
In the days since, Second Chance staff have returned to the site several times, hoping to spot the babies’ mother so they can reunite the family. If she doesn’t appear, the little foxes will remain in care until they’re old enough to be released back into the wild.
What began as a case of mistaken identity has turned into a story of teamwork and compassion — ensuring that five tiny foxes, once cold and alone, are now safe and cared for.
Keep up with The Cat Welfare Group by following them on Facebook and visiting their website. To support their ongoing work, you can donate to both The Cat Welfare Group and Second Chance Fox Rescue and Rehabilitation.
