An ordinary morning turned into a near-tragedy in the heart of the Appia Antica Park in Rome, where a fox cub miraculously escaped an atrocious death. A runner who was doing his usual morning workout noticed a group of young men suspiciously fiddling with a rope around a writhing body. As he approached to understand what was happening, the man found himself faced with a scene of unprecedented violence: the boys had already tightened the noose around the animal’s neck and were preparing to hoist him to the branch of a tree to hang him.
Without hesitating for a moment, the citizen began shouting at the attackers, threatening to immediately call the police. Cornered, the pack made a hasty escape, leaving the rope and the now stunned but alive little fox on the ground. Gently picking up the little animal and placing it inside a protective box, the man urgently transported it to the Lipu Wildlife Recovery Center in Villa Borghese, saving it from a doomed fate.
The health conditions of the animal
Taken over by the professionals of the facility, the little fox of a few months old had to deal with a profound psychological trauma, as well as physical debilitation aggravated by the onset of mange. Ester Gianfelici, manager of the centre, confirmed that the animal was subjected to targeted antibiotic and antiparasitic therapies, as well as being constantly hydrated and fed in a protected shelter to overcome the shock.
The puppy – still in critical condition – arrived at the facility with a very tight noose around his neck and is also being treated with therapy for sarcoptic mange, a pathology that had made him particularly debilitated, facilitating his capture. As soon as the hair has completely grown back, the specimen will be returned to its natural habitat, probably within the protected area of the Lipu Oasis of Castel di Guido.
The firm conviction for the crime
This animal is not just any creature, but the symbol of the Appia Antica Regional Park and an essential part of that natural balance to be protected. This is also why the episode triggered a wave of indignation and harsh unanimous condemnation from the institutions and citizens. Patrizia Prestipino, guarantor for the protection and welfare of animals in Rome, strongly stigmatized the unprecedented gravity of the act, strongly rejecting the idea that it was a simple “girl”.
Prestipino hopes for the severe and exemplary application of the penalties provided for by the Brambilla law – which recognizes animals as sentient beings by punishing the crime of killing with cruelty with up to four years of imprisonment and heavy fines. The competent judicial authorities promptly launched all the necessary investigations to identify those responsible for this vile act, so that similar atrocities do not go unpunished. In the meantime, the entire center and all of us can do nothing but root for this puppy’s recovery.
