July 20th 2023.
On Tuesday, a poor squirrel was saved from a scary predicament after a Leeds local spotted it with a roll of toilet paper stuck on its head. The RSPCA was called, but it was soon apparent that the squirrel had run 30ft up a nearby tree, requiring the fire brigade to be called in for an unusual rescue mission.
Fortunately, the firefighters were able to coax the animal down using specialist poles and free it from the loo roll, all within an hour of the first call. RSPCA animal rescue officer Dave commented on the incident, saying, "It was a good job the squirrel was spotted as he would have been unable to feed and was obviously terrified. Litter is one of the biggest hazards our wildlife faces today and it's something that's very easy to resolve. We would always urge the public to take extra care to dispose of their rubbish responsibly so animals aren't hurt."
The RSPCA received 4,060 calls to its incident line on Tuesday alone - an average of six calls every minute during opening hours. This number is higher during the summer months, usually peaking in mid-July. During the summer, the charity receives around 133,000 calls a month, compared to the 91,500 they receive on average during other months.
Tom Buckley, hub manager of the RSPCA's national control centre, said, "We take more than a million calls a year but summer is our peak time. The calls we receive are heartbreaking - our dedicated call takers never know what they will hear when they answer the call, but it can range from a report of animals being beaten, shot, abandoned or poisoned. Our call handlers know they can make a difference because, working together with frontline rescuers, they can help save lives and coordinate rescues of all types of animals."
Buckley added, "We need the public's support more than ever to help Cancel Out Cruelty so our call staff and frontline rescuers along with centre and branch staff, can work together to help all those animals in need. As we are so busy, we have information on our website which gives advice on if people can help the animal themselves if it is safe and possible to do so, or if the RSPCA isn't the most appropriate organisation to call."
This incident is not the only recent case of squirrels getting into sticky situations - earlier this year a red squirrel got its head stuck in a manhole cover in Germany. It is therefore essential that people are aware of the dangers litter can pose to our wildlife, and take necessary steps to ensure animals are not harmed.
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