It is very tempting when
faced with this scenario to want to save the animal yourself by simply cutting
it free. But there are several good reasons why you should not do
this.
First of all, a trapped animal will be extremely frightened and
will view your approach not as help but as a great threat. It will try to defend
itself and if the victim is a squirrel, fox, badger, deer or swan for example it
could cause you serious injury. These animals should only be handled by
experienced rescuers with specialist equipment.
Secondly, there is no way
of knowing how long the animal has been trapped. It may be dehydrated,
malnourished, suffering from shock, hypothermia or heat stroke. The animal may
need a chance to rest and recuperate before being made to face the challenges of
life in the wild again.
Thirdly, and most importantly, this scenario can
leave the victim with a condition known as pressure necrosis. Basically where
the netting or snare was cutting off the blood supply the surrounding tissue or
even whole limbs can die off causing infections and gangrene. This may not be
immediately apparent and may take a couple of days to develop so it is vital
that every animal trapped in this way is treated and observed by an experienced
wildlife rehabilitator. This applies not only to large animals trapped in fences
etc but also to smaller animals and birds with string, fishing line or plastic
beer can holders wrapped around them.
Basically, as a rule of thumb always seek the help of a
good wildlife rescue when dealing with any wildlife casualty.