A reader's story

While travelling on the Stainforth Canal in our motor cruiser, me and my husband came across something swimming in the water in front of our boat. As we got nearer, we thought it was a puppy and expected it to disappear into the reeds.

As we got closer, the tiny puppy was paddling hard to keep afloat. I think the animal sensed that we wanted to help it and bravely made its way towards our boat. Unfortunately, we found it was too far to reach down and grab the puppy and, kicking ourselves, we realised that we didn’t have a net or some kind of kit on board as we usually do.

I was afraid that it was going to get struck by the propellor, so we cut the engine as it tried to scramble into the engine well at the back, it’s eyes full of terror. It was at this point that we realised that it wasn’t a puppy we were trying to help, but, in fact, a golden baby fox! We knew the terrified fox needed to get out of the water and realised it must have fallen in and was helpless to get out again.

So, our rescue operation began and we carefully started the engine again and gently herded the fox towards the opposite bank and along to a shallower part where it eventually managed to climb out. It looked at us, as if to say ‘thank you’ and then the young fox ran off into the hedgside to find its mum!

Who said life on the water was boring?

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