Earlier this month, a man in the United Kingdom had just finished power-washing his deck when he heard strange noises coming from beneath the wooden boards. Curious, the man yanked up one of the planks and found five little balls of fur trembling underneath.
The babies were “soaked and freezing and [had] no mum in sight,” according to a Facebook post about the event. The concerned homeowner knew he needed to help. Assuming the little ones to be kittens, the man eventually got in touch with The Cat Welfare Group. Animal experts instructed the man to wrap the babies in warm towels and bring them over as soon as he could.
When the babies arrived, Cat Welfare Group CEO Lorri Baynes was eager to get them warm and dry.
“[A]ll I could feel was freezing-cold fur,” Baynes told The Dodo. “I grabbed them all and put them into an already warmed-up enclosed unit, whilst calling our vet.”
On the phone with the veterinarian, Baynes gingerly grabbed one of the babies out of the warming container to weigh her. Finally face-to-face with the fluffy animal, Baynes instantly realized she wasn’t holding a kitten — these were fox kits.
“Honestly, my first thought was, ‘Oh crap,’” Baynes said. “Then, ‘OK, the same must apply to foxes as it does to kittens. We need to get them warm and, while doing so, find a fox rescue who can help.’”
Baynes eventually connected with Second Chance Fox Rescue and Rehabilitation. Second Chance staff gave Baynes advice on how to proceed. Soon, a volunteer from Second Chance arrived to take the babies back to their facility.
In the days since, rescuers at Second Chance have returned to the rescue site multiple times in hopes they can spot the babies’ mother. If they find the mother, they’ll reunite the family. But if not, the babies don’t have to worry — they’ll be cared for at the rescue until they’re old enough to return to the wild on their own.
Though their rescue began a bit confusingly, thanks to so many expert hands, these baby foxes are finally getting the unique love and attention they deserve.