From the fur hat mistaken for a dead cat to the toy scorpion which brought terror to a street, the RSPCA reveal their most hilarious call-outs
- RSPCA have been called out for cushions that look like owls and cuddly toys
- A distressed caller thought they found a lizard which was a dog's chew toy
- A plastic figurine was mistaken for a beheaded swan by one worried caller
The RSPCA have released a list of their most hilarious call-outs which turned out to be false alarms.
The charity receives a great number of calls on a daily basis - but some of them ended up being less concerning as was once thought.
Worried callers have reported an injured owl that turned out to be a grey heart-shaped cushion, a kite which was mistaken for a bird and a cat owner who mistook a happy squirrel for her missing pet.
Members of the public in Grantham, Lincolnshire, were extremely concerned when they found what was thought to be a bright red scorpion on a pavement.
The RSPCA have released a list of their most hilarious call-outs which turned out to be false alarms including a dead dog on a roof which turned out to be a cuddly toy
A distressed caller reported what he thought was a dead dog on a flat roof of the Elim Pentecostal Church on Dalton Road in Port Talbot
Members of the public in Grantham, Lincolnshire, were extremely concerned when they found what was thought to be a bright red scorpion on a pavement
RSPCA animal collection officer Paula Jones arrived to the cordoned area to find the distressed public surrounding a fake rubber toy.
She said: 'Cecil the scorpion is now my van buddy and keeps me company on the road.'
One worried woman reported a distressed lizard in Hackney, London which turned out to be a dog's elephant shaped chew toy.
A distressed caller reported what he thought was a dead dog on a flat roof of the a church in Port Talbot which turned out to be a cuddly toy.
He said: 'We get calls to all sorts of things - all animals of all shapes and sizes and species - but in my 37 years as an RSPCA inspector I have never been called to rescue a cuddly toy before'.
Worried members of the public have reported a an injured owl that turned out to be a grey heart-shaped cushion
On another occasion residents in Stoke Newington, London, reported a skinned cat being dumped in a garden which turned out to be a fur hat
Meanwhile, a woman in Warrington, Cheshire was terrified by the sight of a beheaded swan and called RSPCA to report it but it turns out it was a plastic figurine.
Inspector Claire Fisher said: 'We all had a laugh about this one and, to be honest, were just relieved there wasn't a swan that had suffered an awful death.'
On another occasion residents in Stoke Newington, London, reported a skinned cat being dumped in a garden, where the RSPCS officers ran to check and even found the 'body' covered with a towel.
Luckily, the 'cat' was eventually nothing more than a fur hat.
RSPCA inspector Kate Ford said: 'I was very relieved it wasn't the dark case I was expecting to turn up to.'
Another swan incident was also worrying for the RSPCA officers, when a number of people reported an injured swan in Thornton le Dale, North Yorkshire.
The bird was supposedly not moving and did not look afraid of people or traffic.
Meanwhile, a woman in Warrington, Cheshire was terrified by the sight of a beheaded swan and called RSPCA to report it but it turns out it was a plastic figurine
One worried woman reported a distressed lizard in Hackney, London which turned out to be a dog's elephant shaped chew toy
The officer that attended the had trouble locating the swan - until she realised the reports were about a group of five decorative wooden swans that had been put up for Christmas.
Assistant director of the RSPCA Inspectorate Dermot Murphy says: 'Every day is different at the RSPCA and our officers are used to responding to heartbreaking calls, taking on hair-raising rescues and, from time-to-time, dealing with laugh-out-loud situations.
'From stuffed toys to decorative models, our officers have helped them all.
'While we all enjoy a giggle at this time of year, there is a serious message here too.
One worried member of the public reported a bird in a tree which turned out to be a kite
Another swan incident was also worrying for the RSPCA officers, when a number of people reported an injured swan in Thornton le Dale, North Yorkshire which were about a group of five decorations
'Every year we're under more and more pressure to help animals who desperately need us.
'Everyone who called us had genuine concerns that there was an animal in distress and we rely on public to be our eyes an ears and let us know when they fear an animal is suffering.
'Perhaps these calls are just a reminder to maybe take a closer look before picking up the phone.
'However, thankfully these mishaps are few and far between and we would like to thank everyone who takes the time to report suffering to us and helps us make the world a kinder place for animals.'
