Sompting Wildlife RescueA delivery of compressed wood shavings had travelled from Birmingham to a stable in Sussex. As the shavings were unpacked to be spread as horse bedding, an astonishing discovery was made: a tiny stoat, curled up about a third of the way down inside one of the bales.
Exactly how Feets got inside isn't known. It appeared he may have entered while the bale was being filled, before more shavings were packed on top. Somehow, he survived the journey.
He was very dehydrated after his ordeal, but responded well to care, water and appropriate carnivore food. The team tried to find another suitable stoat companion through other rehabilitation centres, without success.
Feets explored tunnels, raced through tubes and developed a particular fondness for a cat ball. He remained feisty and hands-off, as a wild stoat should.
Once he was ready, Feets was successfully released into private woodland with suitable habitat and food sources.
