Pictures show adorable badger being rescued by Scottish SPCA after becoming tangled in football net

The Scottish SPCA asked families with similar nets to consider tidying them away after they’ve finished with them.

The Scottish SPCA has rescued a badger which got trapped in a football net in Falkirk.

Scotland’s animal welfare charity was called on June 20 by a concerned resident who discovered the badger in their back garden.

Scottish SPCA animal rescue officer Emma Chisholm said, “The caller contacted us after they found the badger tangled in the net of a child’s football goal.

The Scottish SPCA has rescued a badger which got trapped in a football net in Falkirk.

“Thankfully we were able to get to the animal before he caused himself serious injury.

“I was able to successfully free the badger from the net and he was taken to our National Wildlife Centre at Fishcross to be treated for minor injuries.

“After some time to rest and recover, he was successfully released back into the wild on 26 June.

“This badger was very lucky that the homeowner was vigilant and noticed him in the garden but the outcome could have been very different.

“Nets like these can be very dangerous for both domestic and wild animals as they can easily become tangled. The animal then panics and becomes even more entangled as it struggles to free itself. It causes a great deal of stress and in the worst case scenario, the animal can end up accidentally strangling itself.

“We’d ask anyone with one of these nets in their garden to keep an eye out for any animals in difficulty and, if possible, tidy the net away somewhere safe once they’ve finished using it.”

Anyone who discovers an injured wild animal should contact the Scottish SPCA’s animal helpline on 03000 999 999.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription to support our journalism.

Subscribe to scotsman.com and enjoy unlimited access to Scottish news and information online and on our app. Visit https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up.

By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Joy Yates

Editorial Director