A construction worker who thought he had rescued an abandoned puppy from a building site later discovered the little animal he’d brought home was actually a fox cub.
To be fair, the cub did look quite a bit like a puppy.
The builder contacted the RSPCA when he realised he had a fox cub in his house.
The cub, thought to be less than a month old, was taken to the vet and fed puppy milk.
He’s now waiting to be transferred to the RSPCA’s Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre in Nantwich, where he’ll be able to grow strong enough to be released back into the wild.
Animal welfare officer Matt Brown, who went to collect the cub on Monday, said: ‘The worker was on a building site in Speke when he came across what he initially thought was an abandoned puppy and as he could see no mother around he took him home.
‘But when someone told him it was not a pup but actually a fox cub he rightly called the RSPCA.
‘In most cases females will return and collect their cubs if given the opportunity, and it’s not unusual to see older cubs above ground on their own during the day learning survival skills and the parents are usually nearby.’
FYI, if you spot a fox cub on its own, don’t rush to take it home.
Lee Stewart, a manager at Stapeley Grange advises giving the cub some food and water but waiting 24 hours before seeking assistance.
He explains: ‘If you find a fox cub on their own and their eyes are open, the cub is probably fine – the parents will usually be nearby.
‘Leave a supply of dog food and water nearby and check again after 24 hours.
‘If the cub is in immediate danger – on a road or somewhere very exposed – safely move the cub to a sheltered, safe spot nearby, handling the cub as little as possible.’
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