Baby Fox Trapped in Storm Drain Rescued by Police Officers in Missouri

— -- A baby fox trapped in a storm drain in Kearney, Missouri, was rescued by two police officers, who had to navigate more than 150 feet of the system to rescue him.

Nearby residents originally reported "hearing strange noises" coming from the storm drain late Wednesday night, according to Kearney Police Department Seargant, Joe Kantola, who responded to the call.

"I thought it was a puppy at first," Kantola told ABC News. "But I went down to the other end of the cul de sac, where the noises sounded louder. I looked down and there it was, a baby fox."

The "sly, scared" fella kept running away, so Kantola had to call for "backup," he laughed.

Kearney Police Officer JD Garton responded, armed with a box and blanket, Kantola said.

Garton went down a manhole on one end of the street, and Kantola was on the other. Together, they were able to trap the baby fox and get him into the box.

"The little guy was very tired, wet, shivering," Kantola said. "He was probably exhausted. I'm sure he wouldn't have lasted very long. It was very cold, it had rained the other night and the little guy hadn't gotten anything to eat down there."

The two officers brought the fox back to the police station, Kantola said, adding that he was "quiet at first." Once he got a little more comfortable, "he started talking a bit."

The fox was then taken to a local animal hospital and, finally, a wildlife animal rehabilitator, Kantola said. Once the fox is nursed back to health, he will hopefully be able to go back home to the wild.

Kantola said this is the third fox he's rescued in his patrol career. He's also rescued five owls.