THE Scottish SPCA is caring for 10 fox cubs at its National Wildlife Rescue Centre.

Husky and Akita are amongst those being looked after at the facility in Fishcross and are being reared together, with the hope of introducing them to others soon.

The first was found at the side of the road in Hamilton at the beginning of March, having been mistaken for a puppy at only a week old.

Meanwhile, Akita came into the charity's care at the end of the month when he was around four weeks old, after being found under a car in Glasgow.

Centre manager Colin Seddon said: "We will move them into a large indoor/outdoor enclosure where they will stay until they are big enough to go into one of our large outdoor natural enclosures.

"It is in the natural enclosure that they will complete their transition from being hand reared to totally wild before their eventual release into the wild.

"We are hoping to release them at the end of summer onto land with the landowners permission.

"We would advise people living in more rural locations to leave cubs alone and check on them after a couple of hours as their mother may return for them.

"Vixens will often move their cubs from one earth to another and if they are disturbed they’ll leave the cubs and come back for them later.

"Often, vixens will not live in the same earth as her cubs and will only return at night to feed them.

"If anyone thinks a cub is injured, ill or has been orphaned and needs our help they should call our animal helpline on 03000 999 999 for advice."