An appeal recently came to our attention which we just had to investigate further – a rescuer of injured foxes and orphaned fox cubs, who receives no financial support and has worked purely through the determination and kindness of her heart for many years is being forced to remove the animals in her care and her private, semi-rural self-built enclosures by the local authority. She has been given 8 weeks to do this, 6 of which are remaining.
Funds are urgently needed to appeal this decision – the urgency being in part that many of these animals couldn’t survive in the wild.
We were shocked by this seemingly cruel action and we wanted to know more; what huge problem being caused by this lady’s private and secluded operation which meant such extreme action must be taken? She kindly agreed to meet with us to give us more details on the situation she was facing and after a very thought provoking and honest chat all we can conclude is that in the human world, foxes are just a different type of dog.
The argument for feeding, caring for and saving foxes divides neighbourhoods across the country. Foxes kill chickens where runs are not secure and make life difficult for not just farmers but chicken owners and rescuers. Foxes walk the streets at night going through bins, occasionally going into gardens and even houses, and most people will have heard reports of them upsetting household pets by waiting on the outskirts of a garden fence.
Foxes are however, part of the canine family and rarely seen during the day, they come out at night purely to find food for themselves and their young. You may have heard them at night at somewhat unsociable hours but at the same time, they are also doing a great job of cleaning up the rats and mice from our streets!
They live in social groups and a Vixen will be supported by other females from previous litters in caring for her cubs (only the alpha female breeds). They are territorial and due to the human need for expansion of homes, office buildings and general reduction of suitable habitat, they have become much more a part of our daily suburban life. Their need for survival for their family is what drives them into unsafe areas, places they aren’t welcome and into dangerous encounters with both humans, traffic and other animals.
Foxes are also the only member of the canine family to be hunted for sport in this country; a barbaric process which is illegal and which we strongly feel has no place in managing the modern-day number of wild foxes in any society.
Our strong belief is that wildlife should continue to have its rightful place in our lives and there simply must be another way. As with so many instances of human-animal conflict, the only way to reduce problems and ensure we can all live alongside each other in the harmony this planet needs is for genuine rescuers, who responsibly and compassionately work to save the injured and orphaned, who work to rehome these and other gorgeous creatures in safe and non-intrusive locations and who do so under the radar night after night, day after day, be allowed to continue their work.
Please read the impassioned words of the lady who has given her life at her own expense to doing the right thing for our wildlife in need. Please look at the before and after photos of the foxes she has saved and responsibly rehabilitated or rehomed to continue their lives. Please support this amazing lady who has ambitions to not just continue to rescue but to provide education for all and importantly, long-term sanctuary for the vulnerable.
Click below to view the GoFundMe campaign and read in more detail about this fundraiser…