He had to act quickly.
When it comes to managing construction sites, contractors have more than one role. From assembling materials to scouring the area for wildlife, they constantly look for things that can go wrong. If a safety hazard is identified, they stop everything to address it.
That’s what happened the other day when a contractor in Missouri clocked into work and found some unexpected visitors scurrying around his job site.
The man ushered a family of squirrels to safety before opening a new can of foam insulation. He shook the bottle and aimed the nozzle into a gap before releasing a spray of white, resin-based foam.
Unbeknownst to the worker, there was one stray squirrel left behind. In an attempt to escape, the little guy jumped right into the wet foam.
The poor squirrel was suddenly covered from head to toe in a substance that promised to dry like concrete.
“The contractor acted very quickly, removing as much foam as possible before rushing the squirrel to the Wildlife Rescue Center,” Missouri Wildlife Rescue Center (MWRC) wrote on Facebook.
The squirrel was still caked in foam when he arrived at MWRC, but the construction worker’s quick thinking made a huge difference.
The rescue team wouldn’t have as much waterproof foam to remove, but they still needed to decide how they would tackle the rest.
“At the Center, the animal care team worked against the clock to carefully remove the foam using cotton swabs and vegetable oil before it fully hardened,” MWRC wrote.
They decided to work in stages, using some pain medication and a mild sedative to calm the squirrel.
First, they swabbed his mouth and nostrils to unplug his airways. When he could breathe again, they gently cleaned his eyes before wiping off any other areas that could restrict his movement.
They took off as much foam as they could that first day, then gave him some fluids and a place to snuggle for the night.
Swabbing resumed the next morning. By his second day at the rescue center, the resilient squirrel was finally foam-free.
His skin was raw and red in most places where the foam had been, but his demeanor perked up right away.
The little one is still at the beginning of his healing journey, but his new friends at MWRC are happy to report that he’s thriving even more each day.
“We are still keeping a close eye on his condition, and he has a long way to recovery, but we are amazed by his current progress,” MWRC wrote on Facebook.
MWRC has high hopes for the squirrel’s recovery, no matter how long the road ahead might be.
They look forward to the day when they can see him run free in the wild again. But, until then, they’ll keep enjoying their time with the adorable, almost-fluffy boy.
