Wildlife rescuers issue warning after finding creature in heartbreaking predicament in residential backyard: 'A lot of incidents'
A recent rescue in St. Albans, England, has an animal welfare charity once again warning people about the dangers of garden netting.
Staff from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals were called to help a grass snake, one of Britain's protected species, that got badly stuck in netting outside someone's house.
According to The Herts Advertiser, a homeowner spotted the struggling reptile in their backyard in early July and called for help.
Incidents like this are becoming all too common.
Animal rescue officer Ellie Barnes-Wilson said, "We do unfortunately get called to a lot of incidents where wildlife become entangled in netting, and many animals suffer serious or fatal injuries trying to escape."
Plastic netting is useful for protecting plants, but it can also be a real danger to animals like hedgehogs, birds, and snakes.
The grass snake was lucky. After being carefully cut free, it was taken to a wildlife center to recover before being released back into the wild.
The RSPCA is now asking people to think twice about how they protect their gardens. One small change, like swapping plastic netting for wildlife-safe alternatives, or raising the netting off the ground, could make a huge difference in helping avoid these issues in the future.
People had a lot of things to say about this, and some were unfortunately dismissive of the benefits of protecting wildlife like the snake.
"Should have left the bloody thing there. Snakes are bloody vile creatures," one commenter wrote.
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"Just because you don't like them doesn't mean it deserves to suffer. It's still a living breathing animal," one more reasonable response read.
This rescue is a reminder that helping wildlife can start at home, even if that sounds counterintuitive.
Small actions like choosing a different way to keep your garden safe and more mindful activities such as joining a local conservation group are some good options to get started.
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