* Firefighting Crew Makes a Shocking Discovery During a Routine Animal Rescue Mission
Firefighters are the true heroes of our society. They aren't afraid to put their lives on the line in order to help others in need, and they're well aware of the risks at hand. In addition to rescuing humans, firefighters are also committed to helping and rescuing animals when the adorable creatures get into trouble.
Screenshot from CBS Denver/Youtube
One team of Colorado firefighters recently had a mission just like that. But what seemed like a routine rescue turned into something they could never imagine. Just when they thought they knew what they were facing, they found themselves speechless. Continue reading to hear the full story.
Another Day at the Office
It was March 16th, 2018, and the firefighters at Colorado Springs Fire Department thought they were having just another day at the office. They were doing their daily task while always leaving one ear open in case an emergency call would arrive.
Image via @CSFDPIO / Twitter
Although most of them had been on the line of duty for years, there were few situations they hadn’t come across before. But it would soon turn out that one of those was waiting just around the corner.
Experienced Crew
Colorado Springs Fire Department had an experienced staff that was confident in its ability to deal with any challenge. It was like they were sure nothing could cause them a major surprise. With years of service and countless hours of preparation, they were equipped for any kind of emergency that could arise in their job.
Image by nerami30 / Pixabay
But while March 16th appeared to be uneventful, the firefighters didn't allow themselves to relax. They knew everything could change in a heartbeat, and that a life-risking mission was just one phone call away.
Trapped Animals
The phone eventually came alive when one woman called the CSFD to tell them that there were some animals nearby that were trapped and in need of their help. Immediately after finishing with the call, the firefighters switched to mission mode.
Image by Andre Benz / Unsplash
Since they had few details about the situation they were getting into, the crew took their usual approach. This included getting on the suits, loading the truck, and getting onto the road. The firefighters arrived on the scene ready for action but ended up being served with a unique surprise.
Choosing the Strategy
Helping animals in trouble was a common occurrence for the crew, and they had been part of numerous missions that involved rescuing dogs and kittens. Still, this didn't guarantee that their new task would be a walk in the park.
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They knew from their past experiences that each situation is different and that success depends on choosing the right strategy. This mission was particularly challenging because the team didn’t have many details. The caller couldn't tell them which kind of an animal needed their help, so approaching with care was a must.
Into the Unknown
After getting the address for the mission, the firefighters realized they wouldn't have to leave city limits. They were optimistic about the outcome, because the majority of their rescue missions involved domestic animals like puppies or cats.
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Still, the chance of getting face to face with a wild animal was always in play, so they were not prepared to rule out any scenario. They were heading into the unknown, and the only way to know what they were dealing with was to get on the scene.
Trapped in a Drain
Upon arrival, the firefighters were partially relieved. It turned out that the animals were trapped in a storm drain, which was a familiar situation for the crew. But they had to act quickly as the distress call was getting increasingly louder.
Image via Pudelek / Wikipedia
Fortunately, the weather was on the side of the team. The day was beautiful, there was no rainfall, so the animals were not in immediate danger. It wasn't long before they got to the drain and spotted the animals. But what kind of animals were they rescuing?
Proceeding with Care
The mission was luckily accompanied by good weather, but the firefighters knew things could still get complicated out of the blue. They realized that the animals were caught in a pretty terrible spot, and the darkness made it pretty tough to get a good look inside. On top of that, they still couldn't figure out the type of animal they were rescuing.
Screenshot from CBS Denver/Youtube
By assessing the size of the drain, their best guess was that the animals in need of help were really small and possibly newborns. This was the only logical explanation for how they managed to get trapped inside a narrow place like that.
Getting a Better Look
The fact that there were newborn animals inside made it clear to the firefighters that they didn't have time to lose. Luckily, they knew how to handle the mission thanks to years of experience. Their first move was to open the storm drain by removing the grate that was covering it. This way, they could get a better look and approach the animal more efficiently.
Image by jesse orrico / Unsplash
In some past missions like this one, the animals would usually sense the rescue coming and try to show their face. But things were different this time around. The firefighters were right to assume that they were dealing with baby animals who weren't able to do anything besides cry for help. Still, this wasn't helping a lot, because they still didn't know what they were facing.
Numerous Open Questions
Numerous open questions puzzled the firefighters as they were getting on with the mission. They couldn't comprehend how a baby animal could get trapped like this since felines or dogs rarely choose such narrow and wet places as a place to give birth in.
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Despite all the confusion and unanswered questions, the firefighters persevered and kept their focus on the mission. They knew animals needed their help and they were determined to get them to safety regardless of what they were.
Missing Mother
When they finally caught a glimpse of the animals, they looked like they were just several hours or days old. That's when finding their mother became another priority. Newborn animals can't take care of themselves early on, so they needed their mom to help them.
Screenshot from CBS Denver/Youtube
In addition, finding her would make it easier for the crew to identify the animals they were rescuing. But while the team gave it their best to find the mother, they came back empty-handed. It looked like the tiny animals had been abandoned and left on their own.
Heartbreaking Scene
We all know that firefighters come with a reputation of being tough and steel-willed. This is thanks to the nature of their job that requires them to deal with distressing situations all the time.
Screenshot from CBS Denver/Youtube
Despite this, firefighters have emotions like everyone else, and it was hard for the CSFD crew to contain theirs when they saw a heartbreaking scene of baby animals left on their own in a storm drain. This only increased their determination to conclude their rescue mission successfully and find a home for these younglings. Still, this was easier said than done.
Facing the Dilemma
After getting to the animals, the firefighters were facing a big dilemma because there were still a lot of unknowns to the situation. The crew couldn't know for sure whether the baby animals were left for good or if their mom was looking for them.
Screenshot from CBS Denver/Youtube
If it was the latter, they could make a big mistake by taking away her young. One thing was for sure; time was running out, and the animals needed to get cared for as soon as possible.
Important Question
Another major obstacle for the firefighters was that they didn't know the species they were dealing with. Different animals require different care, so they knew they had to answer this big question first.
Screenshot from CBS Denver/Youtube
In case the babies belonged to a domestic animal, quick assistance was of utmost importance. On the other hand, wild animals might not require the same level of urgency. These species are sometimes better left alone to learn how to take care of themselves and get accustomed to the wilderness.
Having a Good Guess
After having a chance to get a good look, the firefighters had a good guess about the animals they were dealing with. Based on the looks of the younglings, the crew concluded that they had just saved a group of puppies.
Image by Toronja Azul / Wikipedia
The issue, however, was the location they found the pups in. Despite years of collective experience, the firefighters had never found dogs stuck in a storm drain. The only logical step forward was to continue investigating, and they had a pretty good idea of where to start.
Owner Negligence?
Owner negligence was the first thing to come to mind when firefighters assessed the situation. They wondered if some reckless dog owner abandoned the puppies. Still, the delicacy of the situation prompted the crew to do their due diligence before jumping to conclusions.
Image via copperfeesh / Wikipedia
This is why they found the woman who placed the initial call and tried to find out more details. To their big relief, the woman was convinced that humans were not responsible for the tough situation that the puppies found themselves in. But they were still a long way from getting the answers.
Fast and Efficient
Talking about this unique mission with Inside Edition, CSFD Captain Brian Vaughan said his team didn't waste much time resolving it. It took the crew just around 20 minutes to rescue the animals and get them to safety.
Image via @CSFDPIO / Twitter
Vaughan added that their first concern after that was making sure the baby animals were in good health. Since they were not equipped to do this by themselves, they asked for help from a professional. When they got the animals to a licensed expert, they were in for a surprise.
Fighting the Cold
Firefighters were fortunate to have almost perfect weather conditions for their rescue mission. But the puppies didn't get so lucky. The dogs had been trapped inside a cold and wet drain for an extended period of time. Considering their age, they were particularly vulnerable to the cold and needed to get warm.
Screenshot from CBS Denver/Youtube
Before the crew had come to get them, the puppies took things into their own hands. Survival instinct prompted them to bunch together, and this helped them keep each other safe from the harsh cold.
Black Labradors?
If you're not an expert, determining the breed of newborn dogs can be a challenging task. And it certainly gets more challenging when they spend much of their short time on Earth inside of a storm drain.
Image by PublicDomainPictures / Pixabay
Although the experienced crew met and saved numerous dogs, they were unsure about the breed of this particular group. Still, the majority of firefighters were fairly sure the puppies were black Labradors. They would quickly find out that their guess was not even close to the truth.
Animal Experts Get Involved
The firefighters did their part in helping these puppies, but for them to get the proper care, animal experts needed to get involved. The crew passed the dogs to The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region but still wanted to remain involved, so one of the firefighters left his contact information.
Image via Wikipedia
This organization was experienced in helping domestic animals like dogs, cats, and pigs, so this seemed like a perfect place for rescued puppies. However, it turned out that they were not exactly equipped or licensed to take care of them.
The Follow-Up
It didn't take long before the firefighters received a follow-up from The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region. One vet called the crew and delivered them some good news. Despite puppies being in bad shape from the time spent in the drain, they managed to recover in full and were now safe and sound.
Image by skeeze/Pixabay
The firefighters were overjoyed, but the vet wasn't done. He needed to give them another piece of info that would shed new light on their mission.
Shocking Discovery
Following the call, the crew realized how off they were when they tried to figure out the breed of the baby animals. In addition to the pups not being black Labradors, the pups were in fact not pups at all.
Image by Scott Walsh / Unsplash
It turned out that the eight puppies that the firefighters saved were actually eight baby red foxes. While the mistake was hilarious, the vet didn't give them a hard time about it. Red fox kits look similar to newborn puppies, so it's an easy mistake to make.
Wrong Address
After it became clear that the baby animals were, in fact, red fox kits, the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region suddenly became the wrong address. The organization's expertise was in domestic animals and pets, so there wasn't much they could do for foxes. And even if they wanted to, they didn't have the right license.
Image via The Animal Clinic of Woodland Park / Facebook
The fox kits needed special care, and the Humane Society couldn't provide it despite their best intentions and effort. So, the next step was to refer them to a place that specializes in wildlife.
Searching for a New Home
The baby foxes were in desperate need of a new home, and it didn't take long before they found one. The Animal Clinic of Woodland Park took the kits, and it seemed that they were going to take care of the litte foxes properly.
Image via The Animal Clinic of Woodland Park / Facebook
Terri Collins, one of the clinic's co-owners, soon revealed that the little foxes were just between 24 to 48 hours old at the time. But despite settling in quickly, the kits' new home turned out to be just temporary.
Any Guesses?
When the red fox kits arrived at the Animal Clinic of Woodland Park, the staff decided to organize a small guessing game on Facebook. They took a picture of the babies and shared it with their followers to see whether anyone could guess the animal.
Image via The Animal Clinic of Woodland Park / Facebook
As it turned out, the firefighters were not the only ones puzzled. Following a series of wrong answers, the staff finally revealed their identity: "So yes, a litter of eight red fox kits was found in Colorado Springs and brought up to our great rehabber. Terri is losing sleep feeding them 4 hours, but so far, so good," they wrote on social media.
Surprisingly Common Occurrence
You can't blame the firefighters for their confusion after they found out that the baby animals they rescued were foxes. Not only did they look like puppies, but they were also found in what is considered to be an urban area.
Screenshot from CBS Denver/Youtube
But Colorado Parks and Wildlife District's wildlife manager Travis Sauder told CBS Denver that this is actually a common occurrence: "This time of year, there are a lot of animals that are starting to have their young, and they have them in small dens that are places that we can encounter when we’re recreating in the outdoors like we like to do," said Sauder.
Always Learning
Despite all of their experiences, the firefighters at Colorado Springs Fire Department encountered something new during their rescue mission. This showed them that you can always be surprised and that there's something new to be learned each day.
Image via @CSFDPIO / Twitter
After finding out that the puppies they saved were actually red foxes, the crew shared a big laugh before realizing that they have a lot to be grateful for. This was a unique chance to help a wild animal, and they did a job they could be proud of.
Needing Their Mommy
The baby red foxes received great treatment at the Animal Clinic of Woodland Park, with Terri Collins watching over them around the clock. But despite growing attached to the kits, she knew she would need to let them go at some point.
Image by Sebastian Molina fotografía / Unsplash
While Collins was able to provide great care to the baby foxes, they were taken away from their mother at a time when they needed her the most. Unfortunately, the mom fox was nowhere to be found, and the weather turning from bad to worse made the situation even trickier.
Sharing the Same Goal
Terri Collins and Travis Sauder shared the same goal when it came to determining the future of the baby foxes. Both knew that the kits needed to be reunited with their mother, and that became the top priority.
Image via Airwolfhound / Wikipedia
"These animals are going to be put back where we found them hoping that the mother is still in the area and can pick up the normal duties like she would," Sauders explained the plan. "If the mom’s not around anymore we can take them to a licensed rehab." Although we don't know whether the plan has yet worked, we are holding our fingers crossed for the best!
Everyone Can Make a Contribution
This rescue mission saw a number of caring individuals joining their forces to make sure the baby red foxes were safe. They not only helped animals in need but also learned valuable lessons that can be helpful to all of us.
Image by PublicDomainPictures / Pixabay
The truth is that everyone can make a contribution and help wildlife. If you can't intervene yourself because you don't have the equipment or lack the proper skills, you can always call someone who can. This way, you made a direct impact and can sleep at night knowing an animal survived because you did something about it!
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