![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SEI_253195462-425c.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe fox had been screeching for four hours (Picture: South Essex Wildlife Hospital)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tThe fox had been screeching for four hours (Picture: South Essex Wildlife Hospital)<\/p>\n
A fox was left \u2018traumatised\u2019 after he became stuck in bitumen\u00a0<\/strong>and then on the road, an animal hospital has said.<\/p>\n South Essex<\/a> Wildlife Hospital said their vets found the three-month-old male fox, known as a dog fox, screaming for help after he became submerged in black goop for four hours in north east London<\/a> on May 22.<\/p>\n Passers-by had freed the animal after it became stuck in a container of sticky bitumen, which is made from crude oil.<\/p>\n But it then became stuck to the road. The substance was so strong the fox was unable to urinate until he was rescued.<\/p>\n The animal charity<\/a> described it as \u2018one of the most horrific cases we\u2019ve seen in 35+ years of wildlife rescue\u2019.<\/p>\n \t\t The charity\u2019s founder Sue Schwar told Metro<\/strong>: \u2018The fox was really traumatised. The bitumen had begun to harden and it was all over the fox. The photos do not do it justice.<\/p>\n \u2018The passers-by had seen the fox\u2019s mother try and move the fox but couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n \u2018Our team had considerable problems as well.\u2019<\/p>\n After the hospital received a call about the fox, rescuer Lawrie and vet Aldawent to the scene to free him.<\/p>\n But he was so stuck that the team spent more than 30 minutes gently freeing each limb before rushing him back to the hospital. <\/p>\n Back at the hospital in Orsett, Essex, the team used baby oil to soften the bitumen and then WD-40 to dissolve it.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t\t\tLatest London news\t\t\t<\/p>\n To get the latest news from the capital visit Metro’s<\/strong> London news hub<\/a>.<\/p>\n They spent hours gently soaking, scrubbing and drying the fox until 2amthat morning.<\/p>\n Sue told Metro<\/strong> it took three further days of massaging and washing the fur before all the oil could be removed from the fox, which is still on pain relief.<\/p>\n More than 30 bottles of baby oil were used when they cleaned the animal.<\/p>\n Sue added: \u2018This case was particularly challenging. Everyone has been amazed.<\/p>\n \u2018There is nothing these animals can do to help themselves.<\/p>\n Despite the fox\u2019s rescue, there are still worries about how the traumatic incident has affected his health.<\/p>\n \u2018There is still the worry of ingestion or toxicity, but we are absolutely determined to give this boy a chance,\u2019 the team added in a statement.<\/p>\n Vets have since found the baby fox also has a problem with one of its legs which requires surgery.<\/p>\n They are not sure if this injury is due to being stuck in bitumen or not.<\/p>\n South Essex Wildlife Hospital treat around 10,000 animals every year.<\/p>\n Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n For more stories like this, <\/strong>check our news page<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SEI_253195481-2fb1.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe three-month-old was up till 2am as vets desperately tried to remove the dangerous goop (Picture: South Essex Wildlife Hospital)<\/p>\n![\"Vets](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SEI_253195461-e715.jpg\")
\n\t\tA combination of baby oil and WD-40 was used to get the oil off the fox (Picture: South Essex Wildlife Hospital)<\/p>\n
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