RANGE | Red foxes are the largest of the true foxes and are found across the entire Northern Hemisphere. They are found throughout Europe, parts of Asia and northern Africa. They were introduced to Australia as well as North America. where they were brought over for fox hunting.

FUN FACTS | These canines have excellent eyesight, hearing and sense of smell. These omnivores almost exclusively hunt, but resort to eating plants when prey is scarce. They primarily hunt for rodents and rabbits but will also pursue birds, eggs, opossums, insects, reptiles and amphibians and young deer. These solitary animals are known to be crepuscular but will hunt at night or during the day if food is not readily available. They will cache—or store—their food by burying it in the ground and marking around the mound with urine. The red fox is known for the mouse pounce, a unique way to ambush their prey by leaping into the air and landing on their target—sometimes up to 15 feet away. Many scientists believe that they are using the Earth’s magnetic field as a way to target their prey since they mostly orient themselves in a northeastern direction!

In 2023, a fur farm in Iowa was shut down, leaving hundreds of foxes in horrendous condition, many in poor health, and all in need of new homes. A fox sanctuary stepped in to organize the monumental task of triaging and placing the animals. Fur farms keep between 2 and 6 foxes in cages that are 4 feet x 6 feet, with wire floors raised above the ground for ease in cleaning. These animals are provided little to no respite from the sweltering sun or bitter cold.

Like many other facilities around the country, we wanted to help. We were able to provide these two with a new home and a second chance. We witnessed their very first time on grass, the first time they had space to run, had sand and dirt to dig, a den for sleep. Our veterinarian estimated their age, when they arrived in April 2024, to be between 3–5 years old. This means they were likely used as breeders since most foxes are pelted in their first winter.

Their favorite place in the enclosure is on top of their denbox, either stretched out to enjoy the sun, or snuggled together. They have dug multiple tunnels in the large enclosure and love to take turns chasing each other, appreciating the space they now share. They both absolutely love puzzle feeders and are incredibly quick to solve them and get the treats. They truly seem to appreciate any enrichment and are always eager to investigate anything new.

They have made such amazing progress in settling in. From their first weeks, scrambling up the walls to get as far from us as possible, to now readily approaching us to take food from our hands. While we would love to be able to pet them as well, they are understandably reluctant. They are already more social than we ever expected and it is a pure joy to see them relaxed and playing.

SPECIAL CARE NEEDS | Living on a fur farm for years, we can expect them to have health issues as they age. Nutrition was negligible and minimal, and there was no veterinarian care.

Ashur and Aurora love stuffed animals. However, they NEED to be heavy duty for foxes! A fox can shred a supposedly indestructible dog toy in seconds! They truly love to be challenged, physically and mentally, so both absolutely adores puzzle feeders of all kinds. The more difficult the puzzle, the more they enjoy them.