A Tuesday morning walk along Cold Springs Trail in Montecito turned into an unusual rescue call when a resident spotted a fox caught in a chain-link fence. He later contacted the people equipped to help.
The Montecito Fire Department said crews were dispatched around 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 6 to the 800 block of East Mountain Drive after receiving a report of a fox stuck in the fence. Noozhawk identified the person who spotted it as Montecito resident Paul Rooney, who had been walking his dog, Angel, along the trail.
Rooney told Noozhawk that he did not have a phone with him when he first saw the animal. He went home and called the fire department. The department’s own account identifies firefighter Charles Spencer and firefighter-paramedic Shaun Whilt as the responders who freed the fox. Spencer held the animal steady while Whilt carefully snipped the chain-link, making an opening large enough for it to get out.
The department reported that the fox was safely released back into its natural habitat. Neither its public post nor Noozhawk’s report describes an injury or a medical assessment after the release, so those details are not known. The fire department’s account describes the rescue as a straightforward operation: steady the animal, open the fence, and let it return to the wild.
Rooney told Noozhawk that he could not simply ignore what he had seen. He also praised the firefighters, saying their work reaches beyond the calls people might first associate with a fire department. His part in the rescue was to notice the problem and call for help. Spencer and Whilt handled the physical work of freeing the fox.
That division of roles matters around wildlife. A trapped animal can be frightened, and a person trying to pull it free could make the situation worse or get hurt. In this case, the department’s post says the responders held the fox steady while one firefighter cut the fence. The account does not describe how long the animal had been caught or how it became entangled.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife advises that wild animals rarely need human help and warns that approaching or handling them can harm both the person and the animal. Its guidance says not to capture, handle, confine, feed or water wildlife without direction from a trained professional. People who find sick, injured or orphaned wildlife should contact a permitted wildlife rehabilitator or a CDFW office for instructions.
That advice offers a practical lesson without diminishing Rooney’s role. He did not need to attempt the rescue himself to make a difference. He noticed a fox in trouble, found a way to call, and gave trained responders the chance to assess the situation. For readers who come across an animal caught or injured, keeping a safe distance and calling for guidance can be the most useful first step.
The agency notes that wildlife rehabilitators are not on call around the clock. Calling first helps people get instructions that fit the animal and circumstances, rather than transporting or handling wildlife on their own. CDFW lists permitted rehabilitation facilities and a map for people seeking local guidance.
The department’s Oct. 6 post ended with the outcome: the fox was released into its natural habitat. The rescue brought together three distinct parts of a small community response: a passerby who noticed an animal in trouble, firefighters who could work carefully with the fence, and a wild fox that was able to return to its surroundings.
It was a brief encounter, but one with a clear result. Rooney’s call brought help to the 800 block of East Mountain Drive; Spencer and Whilt opened a path through the chain-link; and, according to the department, the fox was safely released. The story is a reminder that helping wildlife does not always mean getting close. Sometimes it begins with noticing, staying safe and calling the people trained to respond.
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