At first, the residents of a quiet neighborhood in Glenfield, England, thought someone nearby had gotten a new dog. A strange barking sound echoed through the area, persistent and unusual.
But when the noise didn’t stop, curiosity turned into concern — and that’s when neighbors started to investigate.
Following the sound to a storm drain, they peered inside — and what they found stopped them in their tracks: a tiny fox cub trapped six feet down.
Despite their efforts to help, the drain was simply too deep for the little one to climb out. Just nearby, the cub’s mother paced anxiously, unable to reach her stranded baby. She had likely been there the entire time, waiting and worrying as he cried for help.
That’s when the neighbors called the RSPCA.
“His poor mum must have been beside herself with worry,” RSPCA inspector Beckie Harlock told The Dodo. “We’re not quite sure how he got down there, but as it was pretty deep, I needed expert help.”
Harlock contacted the Leicestershire Fire & Rescue team, who quickly arrived on scene. One firefighter carefully lowered himself into the drain, gently placed the baby fox in a carrier, and lifted him to safety.
Harlock gave the cub a full check-up and, thankfully, he was uninjured — just a bit shaken from his ordeal.
Since the mother fox had been spotted nearby throughout the rescue, the team came up with a plan to reunite them. They left the cub in his carrier near the drain, hoping his cries would guide her back.
And sure enough, not long after, she appeared.
“As soon as we removed the cover, the young fox realized he could now jump out,” Harlock said. “He soon ran off in search of his mum, and before long, they found each other and disappeared together — presumably back to their den.”
It was a heartwarming ending made possible by a caring community, a devoted mom, and a team of rescuers who refused to give up.
One small fox, once stuck and scared, was safely back where he belonged — with his mom, home at last.
