RSPCA highlights hazardous back garden football nets

With the nation set to be gripped by football fever ahead of Euro 2024, the RSPCA is calling on the public to help save animals’ lives by putting away their football nets after use.

Whilst the exploits of Europe’s top players may inspire people across the country to get out in the garden and show off their skills, the netted part of football goals can be hazardous for wild and domestic animals.

They can become entrapped, tangled, injured and even killed by unattended netting.

The RSPCA have released new data for 2023 revealing that almost half of the 1,644 reports of animals getting entangled in netting happened in the peak months of May, June and July.

In Surrey there were 32 reported incidents and in Hampshire there were a further 44 cases.

Last month, a pregnant roe deer became tangled in a back garden football net near Guildford.

An experienced RSPCA animal rescue officer attended.

He was able to calm the animal and gently untangle her from the netting before releasing her unharmed back into the wild.

The public are advised to seek professional help from the RSPCA in cases such as this involving large animals.

However, when a small animal - like a bird or hedgehog - is found caught up in netting, the fastest way to help is for the member of the public to gently disentangle the animal themselves.

There is guidance available on the RSPCA’s website for the best and safest ways of doing this.

RSPCA Scientific Officer Rebecca Machin said this is a significant issue:

“The problem is so serious that during this May, we dealt with 53 incidents of netting-entangled foxes - mostly cubs - and that sadly included at least one fox cub death.”

“But it’s not just foxes that are affected; other wild mammals like hedgehogs and deer, and even domestic pet mammals - including cats, can become potentially fatally entangled.”

“Getting caught up in netting is very stressful for an animal, particularly one that’s wild, and can cause severe injuries or even death.”

“As wild animals frequently get trapped during the night, they may have been struggling for many hours by the time they are found in the morning and often need veterinary attention and sedation to cut them free.”

“Keeping animals safe is really easy and we can all play our part in helping animals by making sure unused sports netting is tidied away safely after use.”