Sometimes wild animals find themselves in trouble and desperately need human help.
This was the case for a tiny squirrel trapped in basketball court netting in New York. It tried to break free, but it was in vain.
All it wanted to do was to return to its daily activities.
The more time the squirrel spent stuck, the more frightened it felt.
Will anyone notice it and rush to its aid?
Rescuing The Little Animal
Fortunately, someone spotted the squirrel struggling to free itself, and they knew who to call.
They reached out to John Debacker, a rescuer based in Long Island, New York, and asked for his assistance.
After receiving the call, the rescuer packed his gear, jumped into his car and rushed to the address.
About 35 minutes later, Debacker arrived and inspected the basketball netting, eager to rescue the squirrel as soon as possible.
At first, he looked at the bottom of the netting, but didn’t see the squirrel.
It was then that Debacker spotted the tiny animal stuck near the top.
Since he is a long-term rescuer of wild animals, he knew what needed to be done.
“I get many calls of squirrels, cats, possums and other other animals stuck in nets,” Debacker told The Dodo.
Debacker made his way up the ladder, and started cutting the strands of the netting around the squirrel.
The little wild animal didn’t know what the rescuer’s intentions were, so it resisted and tried to defend itself.
“He was a little feisty at first, not understanding I was there to help him. He calmed down quickly, though,” Debacker added.
The rescuer didn’t give up on the animal, and continued to cut the netting until it was finally free.
Regaining Freedom
Once the squirrel felt the solid ground under its legs, it regained its composure and felt much better.
Debacker took the tiny animal in his hands and gave it a quick checkup to make sure it wasn’t injured.
The rescuer was happy when he saw that the squirrel was alright. It was ready to return to the wild and go on with its everyday life.
As the rescuer released the animal, it rushed to its home.
Debacker felt relieved.
“It’s an amazing feeling when an animal is free,” he said.
Thanks to the Good Samaritan who asked for help and to Debacker, the tiny squirrel returned to its home in the wild where it belonged, celebrating its freedom.