The rabbit could have been stuck down the narrow pipe for hours before he was rescued
The RSPCA had to rescue a rabbit from a Cambridgeshire home after it got stuck in a pipe. The resident spotted the rabbit in a pipe at the end of his driveway in Gamlingay, South Cambridgeshire, at around 3.30pm on Sunday, March 29.
The resident, along with a neighbour, was unable to reach the rabbit and so he called the RSPCA. The Animal Rescue Officer, Nicole Scott, was able to attend to the scene.
Nicole said: “The rabbit was about down the narrow pipe and unable to get himself free – it must have been scary for him. The pipe had previously been covered by a small piece of slate, which had blown off at some point since the previous evening – so he could have potentially been stuck there for hours before he was finally discovered.
“Thankfully, I was able to hook my fingers around his back legs and support his belly as he wriggled up out of the pipe. He seemed OK, other than a sore patch on his nose where he’d rubbed all the fur off – but otherwise unscathed.
“As we weren’t sure how long he’d been there we took him to a local vet for a once-over and to make sure he didn’t have any ill effects from balancing on his head all day, or go into shock.”
After being rescued from the pipe, the rabbit has made a full recovery and seemed “bright and happy” the next day. He was collected from Henlow Vets in Bedfordshire by the homeowner, who helped release the rabbit back into the wild.
Nicole added: “This was a fantastic example of teamwork between the RSPCA, members of the public and local vets – this must have been very distressing for the poor rabbit, and we’re so pleased he made a full recovery and was able to hop back home for Easter.
“We’d always encourage people to check for and cover any open drains or pipes to help protect wildlife, especially as they become more active in the spring months. This particular rescue needed some specialist help, but there are lots of small wildlife and pets which the public can safely help, and the fastest way to do this is by taking them to a local vet.”
The RSPCA has released advice online on how people can help sick or injured wildlife. The charity is calling on people to become a Local Animal Hero by watching its training video that features RSPCA ARO Emma Baker showing how people can help small wild animals and pets in need and how to create their own rescue box.
The public can also sign up to become an RSPCA Wildlife Friend, which is a volunteering scheme aiming to change the lives of animals for the better. You can sign up to the scheme via the RSPCA website.
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