Deer trapped between walls and cat stuck on 45ft viaduct as trains speed past: RSPCA's daring rescues of 2024

A deer that was freed after it became wedged between two walls has been voted the RSPCA's most dramatic of the year.

The tricky rescue was captured on camera (watch compilation above), in which the deer was trapped upside down in a tiny gap between two houses.

A cat that was perched on a 45ft railway viaduct and a dog trapped between two bars in a metal fence were also among the charity's list of most memorable moments.

Other shocking animal rescues include a swan that crash-landed on the National Space Centre roof and foxes that had fallen through a skylight.

Animal Rescue Officer Karen Nix, who was called out to rescue the deer in Louth, Lincs., in January, said: “This was a tricky rescue because the deer was trapped so tightly and, to complicate matters, was also upside down - it must have been terrifying for him.

"Thankfully, he was freed and it was such a relief to watch him run free into the undergrowth.”

In May, a fox had to be cut free after getting a strawberry plant pot stuck on his head in a garden in Wandsworth, London.

In June, a swan crash landed on the roof of the National Space Centre, which also featured on the charity's top 17 moments of the year.

RSPCA Inspector Allison North said: "The swan had crash landed on the roof and became tangled under tarpaulin so wasn’t able to take back off again.

“Thankfully we managed to get to him, check him over and he wasn’t injured so we released him back into the wild. Hopefully, he won’t be trying to fly off to infinity and beyond anytime soon!”

In March, a cat used up one of its nine lives in Huddersfield, West Yorks., after becoming trapped on a ledge of a 45ft railway viaduct.

Animal Rescue Officer Emmeline Myall rescued the cat with the help of a cherry picker. She said: “As we went up in the cherry picker to try and rescue him a couple of trains went past at speed. It must have been a terrifying experience and he was very lucky to escape serious injury.

"Looking at the location, he must have walked along the tracks for some time before stopping where he did. I don’t think I’ve ever rescued a cat from such a precarious situation before.”

In September, where two foxes fell three metres through a broken skylight and became trapped in an empty flat in Ramsgate, Kent.

Police called the RSPCA after the foxes refused to leave through an open door. Another dramatic rescue involved a cat who was spotted dashing through a narrow opening at St. Paul's Cathedral in London in July.

And a Cane Corso was saved by Animal Rescue Officer Liz Bradley in Sheffield, South Yorks., after becoming trapped between bars in a metal fence in April.

Passers-by were alerted after hearing the dog's cries - but thankfully the dog had no major injuries. Liz said: “Thankfully she only had a small wound to her leg, but it could have been much worse as the metal fence was very sharp.”