In a surprising twist, firefighters in Colorado Springs rescued eight animals from a storm drain, believing they were Labrador puppies, only to discover they were actually red fox kits.
The rescue took place on a Thursday afternoon when a passerby heard animal cries from a storm drain and alerted authorities. Firefighters responded promptly, retrieving the small, black-colored animals and transferring them to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region. It was there that a veterinarian identified them as red foxes, not dogs.
Captain Brian Vaughan of the Colorado Springs Fire Department expressed surprise at the revelation, noting that the area is near the Rocky Mountains, where foxes are common.
Wildlife officials decided to return the kits to the storm drain area in hopes that their mother would retrieve them. If she does not return, the young foxes will be taken to a wildlife rehabilitation center.
This incident underscores the importance of consulting wildlife experts when encountering young animals in the wild, as appearances can be deceiving.
For a visual account of the rescue, you can watch the following video: