Md. volunteer firefighters rescue young fox from sewer

EDGEWOOD, Md. Firefighters get all kinds of rescue calls, but this one was a first for the Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Department: a young fox that had been trapped in a storm drain.

Neighbors heard it yelping, reports CBS Station WJZ .

"It was like, 'Arf, arf, arf.' Like a bark thing. Everybody heard it," resident Joe Ireson told correspondent Alex DeMetrick.

Neighbors said that after contacting other agencies, the Joppa-Magnolia Volunteers were the only ones to do anything.

"It was nice, it was good to see them come out and take care of it real quick," said Ireson.

Firefighter Dave Collins said the young animal was "extremely scared" as they put a ladder inside the manhole, climbed down and pulled it out. Then, when Collins went to release the animal next to the woods, "he just kind of sat there. So we decided to pick him up and take him with us and try to contact some people."

The rescue was featured on the Harford fire blog, generating considerable praise for the volunteers.

Chadwell Animal Hospital in Abingdon, Md., advised food, water and rest.

The fox took to all three, as firefighters babysat him all night.

"He was friendly. I had him in my lap and was petting him and everything," said Collins.

Despite their Facebook plea ("Chief says if we get 1 million 'likes,' we get to keep the baby fox"), the animal is now with Phoenix Wildlife Rescue; its condition is said to be weak.

Firefighters used their compassionate rescue as an opportunity to remind residents that, on Sunday, the department is hosting a $5-a-shot rabies clinic.

To watch the video report from WJZ click on the player below.