When a Colorado Springs crew answered a call about abandoned puppies trapped underground, they expected a routine animal rescue. What came out of the manhole looked like newborn black Labradors. It turned out to be something wilder.
A Call About Abandoned Puppies
In March 2018, a passerby reported what they believed was a litter of newborn black Labrador puppies dumped in a storm drain. The Colorado Springs Fire Department sent a crew, and Fire Captain Brian Vaughan said the team was worried they were dealing with a case of dog dumping.
A firefighter reached into the drain and lifted the tiny, squirming animals out one by one, placing them on a sheet. Video of the rescue shows eight of them, and the whole operation took about 20 minutes. None appeared to be hurt.
A Surprise at the Shelter
The firefighters brought the animals to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, where a veterinarian noticed something was off. “No, these aren’t Labradors, these are foxes,” Vaughan recalled the vet saying, according to Shared.
They were red fox kits. At that age, the babies have dark reddish-brown fur that can look very similar to a black Lab puppy’s coat, especially in the dim light of a drain.
What Happened to the Kits
The mistake was an honest one. According to CBS Colorado, the kits’ mother had gotten away during the rescue. Travis Sauder, a district wildlife manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said the plan was to put the kits back where they were found in the hope the mother was still nearby. If she did not come back, he said, they could go to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
Sauder was not surprised by the mix-up. Spring is when many wild animals give birth, he said, often in small dens in places people may stumble across while enjoying the outdoors. A later iHeartDogs report said a clinic shared that the litter of eight red fox kits was brought to a rehabilitator.
If You Find Baby Wildlife
The takeaway, wildlife officials say, is to resist the urge to intervene. A baby animal alone is not always abandoned, because parents often leave to find food. Photograph the animal from a distance, then call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or your state wildlife agency before touching it.
Staying Safe Around Wildlife
Backyard wildlife encounters are common, and a few products and services can make them safer for you and for animals:
- Pet vaccinations. Keep dogs and cats current on rabies vaccination, and consider pet insurance for unexpected vet bills after an animal encounter.
- Humane wildlife removal. If animals den under your deck or in your attic, a humane wildlife removal service can relocate them without harm.
- Trail cameras. A trail camera or wildlife camera lets you watch dens from a distance.
- Binoculars. Wildlife-watching binoculars make it easy to enjoy animals without disturbing them.
- Support rescue. A donation to a wildlife rehabilitation center helps pay for food and care for orphaned animals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the “puppies” really? Red fox kits, which have dark fur when very young.
Where did this happen? In Colorado Springs, Colorado, in March 2018.
Who rescued them? Firefighters from the Colorado Springs Fire Department.
What happened to the kits? Wildlife officials planned to return them to where they were found in hopes their mother would come back, with licensed rehabilitation as a fallback.
Sources: CBS Colorado, Shared.com, iHeartDogs.com, and rdnewsNOW, all covering the March 2018 rescue of eight red fox kits mistaken for Labrador puppies in a Colorado Springs storm drain.
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