When a concerned citizen noticed a litter of tiny creatures trapped in a storm drain, he had no idea what to do. His first instinct was to call the fire department for help.
Luckily, the firefighters from Colorado Springs are always prepared for emergencies like this. They rushed to the scene, hoping to rescue what they believed were a group of helpless puppies. Within minutes, the crew managed to pull out what they thought were eight newborn black puppies.
However, imagine their shock when they realized these weren’t puppies at all—they were baby red foxes!
Captain Brian Vaughan of the Colorado Springs Fire Department shared with Inside Edition that they initially assumed the animals were Labrador puppies and were worried about what appeared to be a case of dog abandonment. The firefighters searched the area, hoping to find their mother, but she was nowhere to be found.
After safely rescuing the tiny animals, the team decided to bring them to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region for care. That’s where the surprising truth was revealed: the “puppies” they had saved were actually red fox kits!
A local vet explained that the area where the foxes were found is near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, a common habitat for red foxes. The firefighters were stunned—never had they imagined that their “puppy” rescue would turn out to be baby foxes.
On the other hand, Travis Sauder, the Wildlife Manager for the Colorado Parks and Wildlife District, wasn’t surprised at all. He told CBS News that this time of year, many wild animals are giving birth and tend to keep their young in hidden dens—sometimes in places where humans can stumble upon them.
Once the discovery was made, officials returned the kits to the storm drain, hoping their mother would come back to care for them. Unfortunately, she never returned. The baby foxes were then taken to The Animal Clinic of Woodland Park, where they would be rehabilitated.
The clinic shared an update on Facebook, saying, "Yes, a litter of eight red fox kits was found and brought to our rehabber. Terri has been working around the clock feeding them, and so far, they’re doing great.”
After weeks of care, the fox kits grew strong and healthy. Once they were big enough and able to fend for themselves, they were released back into the wild, free to live their lives where they truly belong.
