Firefighters Rescue “Puppies” Only To Uncover A Wild Surprise
Spotting a litter of tiny animals trapped in a storm drain, a passerby found himself unsure of what to do.
His immediate reaction was to reach out to the fire department, hoping they could assist.
Fortunately, the Colorado Springs Fire Department swiftly arrived at the scene, ready to help.
A Surprising Twist
They arrived at the scene, expecting to rescue a group of helpless puppies.
Within minutes, they managed to safely retrieve what they believed were eight newborn black Labrador Retriever puppies.
Source: CBS Colorado
The team, worried that someone had abandoned the pups, searched the area for their mother but found no trace of her.
A surprising twist came when they brought the tiny animals to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region for care.
Source: CBS Colorado
The veterinarians took one look and realized that these weren’t puppies at all—they were baby red foxes!
Fire Captain Brian Vaughan shared with Inside Edition that the firefighters were completely shocked by the news.
These firefighters in rescued what they thought were puppies from a storm drain... but it turns out they’re red foxes!
What to do now?
Reporter @AbeytaCBS4 shares the story: https://t.co/ubpMJjjj8h
(📹: Colorado Springs Fire Department) pic.twitter.com/Mksg0A0IJH— CBSColorado (@CBSNewsColorado) March 16, 2018
The vet explained that finding foxes in the area wasn’t unusual since the neighborhood sits near the Rocky Mountains, where foxes are common.
“This time of year there are a lot of animals that are starting to have their young, and they have them in small dens that are places that we can encounter.” Travis Sauder, Colorado Parks and Wildlife District Wildlife Manager, told CBS News.
The discovery left the firefighters in disbelief, as it had never crossed their minds that the “puppies” might actually be something else.
Looking After The Baby Foxes
With this new information, the officials returned the baby foxes to the storm drain, hoping their mother might come back for them.
Unfortunately, she never returned, so the foxes were taken to The Animal Clinic of Woodland Park in Colorado for rehabilitation.
There, they were lovingly cared for by a dedicated rehabber, who worked tirelessly to feed and nurture them.
Once the foxes were strong and independent, they were released back into the wild, ready to live the life they were meant for.
Thanks to the quick actions of the firefighters and the care they received, these baby foxes got a second chance at life.
