Secure your netting and protect local wildlife

Protect badgers, foxes and other wildlife by securing garden and sports netting. Learn how unsecured nets cause injuries and what to do if you find an animal trapped.

Do you, your neighbours, or your local park have garden or sports netting left out or untied when not in use? If so, we’d encourage you to tidy up your nets and ask your friends, schools, colleges, local sports clubs and councils to do the same. 

Netting is unfortunately becoming an increasingly common, and entirely preventable, cause of injury and death for many of our precious wildlife, including badgers and foxes.

According to figures released by the RSPCA and reported in multiple media outlets, the charity received 1,355 reports in 2024 of animals becoming entangled in netting, with almost half occurring during the peak months of May, June and July (1). It is not uncommon for local badger groups to be called out to rescue a badger caught in netting. A recent incident involving a badger caught in netting and under decking in Essex has once again brought this issue into sharp focus. 

The welfare issues caused by discarded or unsecured netting are all too familiar to the Fox Project, whose rescuers have attended many distressing incidents involving foxes entangled in netting.

“What we see on arrival can be horrendous, and the fear in the animal’s eyes is heart-wrenching. Some images will never leave, for example the pregnant vixen who had chewed off her foot overnight in a desperate attempt to escape the entrapment.” Nicki from the Fox Project

For any wild animal, becoming entangled in netting is an extremely stressful and frightening experience. In panic, they often struggle desperately to free themselves, only to become even more tightly trapped. 

For badgers and foxes, whose activity usually takes place when few people are around, it may be many hours before they are discovered, if they are discovered at all. During that time, the netting can tighten around limbs and bodies, cutting off blood supply and causing severe constriction injuries, immense suffering and, tragically, death.

Prevention is the best solution

To help prevent unnecessary suffering,  and to save the valuable time of rescue volunteers, we urge everyone to tie up sports netting when not in use and to encourage neighbours, schools, sports clubs and local councils to do the same. 

Other forms of netting, including garden and camouflage netting, should also be used responsibly and never left where wildlife could easily become trapped. If netting is not in use, it should always be safely stored away. 

The Fox Project also highlights that: “It’s not only wildlife at risk—domestic animals can be harmed too.”

What should you do if you spot a wild animal caught in netting?

Firstly, please avoid getting too close to the animal as this may frighten them and worsen their entanglement. Instead, contact your local rescue group for advice and assistance. In the case of badgers, please contact your local badger group for support.

Never just cut an animal free and release it

If you discover a wild animal trapped in netting, it is very important that the animal is not simply cut free and released.

Netting can cause serious constriction injuries that may not be immediately visible at the time of rescue. Even wounds that appear minor can worsen over the following days or weeks as swelling, tissue damage and loss of blood supply develop.

Wildlife rescuers have the specialist training and equipment needed to safely restrain and transport injured animals while minimising further stress and harm. Any remaining netting should always be carefully removed by a veterinary professional, who can also assess the animal for hidden injuries and provide appropriate treatment.

Releasing an animal without veterinary assessment may leave them suffering from severe injuries that are not immediately apparent and could ultimately prove fatal.

The Fox Project also adds: “Not all injuries are visible, and some constriction wounds can take up to five days to appear.”

You can find your local badger group on the Badger Trust website or find a local wildlife rescue.

References

1. https://onthewight.com/rspca-urges-public-to-put-away-football-nets-to-protect-local-wildlife/