An RSPCA inspector was called to Farm Hill in Exeter after a resident called in with concerns about a fox that was spotted hiding under a bush.
However, it turned out that the fox was, in fact, stuffed.
Ellie Burt said: “The fox was described as lethargic and collapsed in the undergrowth. The caller said it had been losing weight in weeks and hadn’t moved for the past few days.
“We asked them to try the broom test – to ensure the fox was still alive – and were told that it didn’t move but tracked them with its eyes and seemed to be breathing well.
“As soon as I arrived I realised that this wasn’t a live fox but a dead fox who’d been stuffed by a taxidermist.
“He’d clearly been placed under a bush outside of the houses as a prank.
“After speaking to some of the neighbours, I soon discovered that someone had been moving it around the neighbourhood.”
To prevent any more unnecessary panic, Ellie threw the stuffed fox in a bin, the Daily Star reported.
