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Fox cub 'lodger' found under sofa
Red fox cub
The fox cub will remain in the care of Fenland Animal Rescue until he is old enough to be released back into the wild.

Homeowner alerted by suspicious cat

A homeowner from Norfolk received a shock last week when she discovered a young fox cub hiding under her sofa.

It is thought the cub had been in the house for several days when the owner noticed a ‘smell’ and had seen her cat acting suspiciously.

The fox cub will remain in the care of Fenland Animal Rescue until he is old enough to be released back into the wild.

“It wasn't until she looked under the furniture and noticed two little eyes staring back at her, that she realised she had a lodger!” said a spokesperson for Fenland Animal Rescue.

“Our team attended and were able to recover the little one safely, however, it soon became apparent that he had been in the house for several days and had been without food or fluids throughout!”

The team quickly set out to find the fox cub’s mother so that they could be reunited. But despite their best efforts, they found no trace of her and had to admit the fox cub into their care.

On arrival at the Centre, the veterinary team assessed the cub for injuries. Despite being seriously dehydrated, the little fox had bags of energy, giving them hope that all was not lost.

Several weeks later, following a course of fluid therapy, parasite medication and a strictly controlled diet, the fox is now free from all infections. He has now been moved to an outdoor pen to get a feel for the wild and can use the space to play and explore.

Rescuers say they will feed the cub a ‘natural diet’ to ensure he develops the skills needed in life and, once old enough, will continue his journey in the wild.

Image (C) Fenland Animal Rescue

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Antibiotic Amnesty survey opens

News Story 1
 The Responsible Use of Medicines Alliance - Companion Animal and Equine (RUMA - CA&E) has launched a survey which seeks to measure the success of this year's Antibiotic Amnesty campaign.

Its results will help the group to calculate how many unused or out-of-date antibiotics were returned as part of the campaign throughout November. Practices are also asked how they engaged with clients to raise awareness of the issue.

Participating practices can enter a prize draw to win up to 100 in vouchers for taking part. Further prizes from BSAVA and Webinar Vet will be available for practices with the best input.

The survey takes a few minutes to complete and will be running throughout December. It can be accessed via this link

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue cases lead to restricted zone extension

Following the detection of new cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3), the restricted zone has been extended to include additional parts of Hampshire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and North Yorkshire, as well as Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole and part of Dorset.

The zone now covers 28 counties and unitary authorities in England. As of 16 December, 185 cases of BTV-3 have been confirmed in England and Wales during the current vector period.

Bluetongue is a notifiable disease. Suspected cases must be reported on 03000 200 301 in England or 03003 038 268 in Wales. In Scotland, suspected cases should be reported to the local field services office. Suspected cases in Northern Ireland should be reported to the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or by contacting the local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.

A map of the area where movement restrictions apply can be found here.