Desperate hunt for ‘elusive’ fox spotted with a tube stuck around its neck – as rescuers plead for help and say animal is dodging their traps

• Rescue centre flooded with calls about ‘elusive’ fox with tube around its neck
• Fox has so far dodged all efforts to trap it in North Baddesley, Hampshire 
• Experts worry that the fox’s ability to eat and drink will be restricted

Rescuers are engaging in a desperate search for an ‘elusive’ fox that was spotted with a tube stuck around its neck after they were flooded with calls from concerned residents of Hampshire.

Over the last two weeks, a rescue centre has received over 50 calls from people who have seen the animal.

They said they are ‘urgently’ trying searching for the fox as the tube may restrict its ability to eat and drink, but the cunning animal had far it has avoided their traps.

Steve Mason, from Second Chance Fox Rescue and Rehabilitation in North Baddesley, Hampshire, said: ‘We can’t catch the damn thing.

‘It’s proven to be very elusive. We have got three traps now for it.’

‘Elusive’ fox has so far evaded efforts to entrap it in Hampshire, with rescuers increasingly concerned about its health

The Second Chance Fox Rescue and Rehabilitation in North Baddesley, Hampshire, has so far received over 50 calls from concerned locals

The 65-year-old said he was first alerted to the animal two weeks ago when a lady rang him to say she had spotted a fox with a tube around its neck.

He added: ‘It was coming and going for several days so we set the traps but we couldn’t catch it.’

The father of two set up traps in Gosport, Hants – which is where the animal has been spotted.

He said: ‘We have to put the traps in an area where we are going to catch it.

‘We need to find a pattern to where it goes so we are trying to gather information on it.

‘Foxes are very wary of traps. We have set other traps before and have waited over two weeks before we have caught the fox.

‘We have had hedgehogs and badgers in there but that fox needs to be in that trap as soon as possible.’

Mr Mason said locating the animal is ‘urgent’ and they are using raw chicken and sausage to lure it in.

He added: ‘It is urgent we catch this fox as soon as possible. We have got one of our staff members, out day and night trying to find the fox.

‘Every day she’s out trying to find it.’

Mr Mason – who has run the fox rescue centre for eight years – said if the tube is not removed, ‘it will eventually restrict the fox when it comes to eating or drinking’.

He said it is likely the fox got its head caught in the tube on a building site as the animal ‘frequents’ there due to rats and people leaving food.

The rescue worker said at the moment, they are unsure if the tube is made of rubber or plastic adding: ‘It may just be that when we catch the fox it’ll be easy to remove, but until we catch it we don’t know.’

He added: ‘We have lots of injured foxes coming to us.

‘We must have had about 50 to 60 calls about the fox and there are a lot of concerned people. We are getting a lot of help from the public with sightings.’

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