Little fox with mange… successful rescue effort <3
There was a very young fox I'd been seeing around the park area on my morning walks with the dogs. She had severe mange, was malnourished, and very, very skinny.
I started packing my little pack with food to leave if I saw her while out and about.... *just in case.*
One morning, I saw her curled up in a little sunspot. She was unfazed by our presence. I threw some food to her, and walked off so she'd eat (which she did).
The next day, I looked for her when we got back to general area we'd been seeing her in- but she was nowhere to be found.
The day after, she was there. Sunbathing in a different spot.
I threw some food to her, but she was uninterested. It was almost like she'd lost the will to even try to live and was suffering.
I quickly walked the dogs home, got in my car, and returned with water, more food, and no plan.
She'd gotten used to my presence, and would allow me to get within just a few feet of her.
Luckily, a neighbor was out walking her senior dogs and we struck up a conversation. A fellow animal advocate and compassionate heart, she took her dogs home and came back with some towels, heavy duty gloves, a laundry basket, and we started getting a plan together. I had a crate in the car, so we had all we needed to safely make a capture.
We spent time sitting with the little fox, making calls to wildlife rehab and sanctuary folks, etc. Animal control was also a thought, but only if we couldn't find actual help (all they'd do is euthanize her).
Since she'd gotten used to my presence, she was relaxing in a relatively open spot in the sunlight. We managed to quietly come up behind her, and get the laundry basket over her. We arranged the crate with the door open, blankets over, and - with gloves and a folded towel- were able to coax her into the crate.
Thank goodness!!! We were all so relieved.
We found an absolutely *amazing* individual in Culpeper, VA. Karen Lamb. Who runs "Nirvana Ridge Wildlife Refuge".
Karen has an incredible set up, and dedicates her time, energy, resources, and heart to restoring health to all these creatures who are suffering and in need. Foxes, possums, raccoons, coyotes, deer, squirrels, etc.
You can follow her work and the rehab of our little fox (aka "Lady Diana") on her FB page. And, if you can, you can also support this tireless work of hers through donations, as well. Nirvana Ridge Wildlife Refuge is a non-profit.
At any rate, I'm sharing this with you all because oftentimes wild animals are found with mange, broken legs, head wounds, etc. and are suffering... and not many understand who to call or what to do about it. Again, Animal Control will euthanize; and, most times, the conditions we find these animals in are absolutely treatable.
I'm preparing for my move to SoCal, but wanted to leave this here so you all had this amazing individual's information.
Karen Lamb
Nirvana Ridge Wildlife Refuge
Email: nirvanaridge22714@gmail.com
Phone: (703) 342-9032
**To my neighbor, Diana, who's reading this... thank you for helping me help her, and for transporting her to the Refuge! We need more beautiful souls here like you...and Karen... and the other neighbor who cried tears of joy when we were finally able to capture her (she'd seen her in days past, as well). As they say, it does take a village... and I'm so thankful she's no longer suffering, and will have the opportunity to live her life as God intended. Cheers to happy endings <3**
(more pictures and videos available here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CyvccZrOoP9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==)
