When Long Island rescuer John Debacker recently got a call about a squirrel trapped in basketball court netting, the worried animal lover hopped in his car and arrived at the scene within 30 minutes.
Debacker scanned the bottom of the netting, expecting the squirrel to be there. Then, he noticed someone small struggling near the top.
The experienced rescuer had seen situations like this before, so he knew just what to do.
“I get many calls of squirrels, cats, possums and other other animals stuck in nets,” Debacker told The Dodo.
The rescuer climbed up a ladder and began to gently cut the netting out from around the terrified squirrel.
“He was a little feisty at first, not understanding I was there to help him,” Debacker said. “He calmed down quickly, though.”
Finally free from the net, the squirrel began getting his bearings. Debacker examined him for injuries and found that he was ready to return to his home in the wild.
Watching the squirrel scurry away, Debacker couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief.
“It’s an amazing feeling when an animal is free,” he said.
