In 2021, 281,390 incidents were reported to the charity’s frontline teams via its emergency hotline, with 71,638 in the North, including helping lots of animals who got themselves into rather sticky situations. Luckily, they all had happy endings. Here the RSPCA reveals its top rescues of 2021 across the North.
7. It rings a bell
A man putting his bin out late at night was shocked after finding a chameleon sitting on his door in Preston. He confined the brightly-coloured reptile to a box and took it to his mum’s house nearby and alerted the RSPCA. The rescue features in the RSPCA's list of top rescues of 2021 Photo: RSPCA
8. Romelu Lukak-ewe hits back of the net
A ewe was left feeling rather sheepish after scoring an own goal and getting tangled in netting in Rossendale, Lancashire. A homeowner raised the alarm on August 22 and rescue Vicki McDonald went to lend a hand. The poor ewe had got herself tangled up in netting from the football goal and had it tangled around her neck. Photo: RSPCA
9. Snakes alive
A landlord had a fright when he removed an electric fire from a property he was renovating to find a 4ft-long desert kingsnake behind it! Rescuer Anthony Joynes went to the home in St Helens, Merseyside, to help. Photo: RSPCA
10. Hopping mad
A wild rabbit needed a helping hand after getting stuck trying to push under a gate. Animal rescue officer Shane Lynn went to a home in North Allertone, North Yorkshire, on February 21 after the bunny was found trapped underneath a wooden fence. Photo: RSPCA
11. Car key and hutch
A bunny who escaped from her hutch while travelling to her new home got stuck inside the van dashboard. She was on her way home to Selby, North Yorkshire, on June 7 with new owner Mark Hyde when he had to brake suddenly and her hutch door flew open. She ran to the front of the automatic van and pushed through a hole where the clutch normally is and Mark called the RSPCA to help find her. Photo: RSPCA
12. Bra-vado
A lingerie-loving lizard travelled more than 4,000 miles in a woman’s bra from sunny Barbados to Rotherham, South Yorkshire! The tiny globe-trotting gecko was busted when she was spotted by Lisa Russell when she returned to her home on September 6 and went to unpack her suitcase. The rescue features in the list of the RSPCA's top rescues of 2021 Photo: RSPCA