A pair of baby foxes enjoy a great recovery inside a wildlife rehabilitation center after being rescued by a kind-hearted person who mistook them for domestic pets upon finding them inside a burrow hidden behind his shed.
The man immediately took them to the Arizona Humane Society (AHS), a non-profit organization based in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, which is responsible for protecting the state’s animals. Once at the association’s facilities, specialists discovered that they were not domestic pets, so they moved them to the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center (SWCC), Scottsdale-based wildlife conservation center.
At SWCC veterinary experts learned that the “pets” were actually baby animals. grey Fox. These animals are enjoying a good recovery and within a month they will be able to be released into the wild thanks to the commitment of their caregivers.
Through a press release, Kelsey Dickerson, AHS public information officer, released details of the history of the small animals. She recounted that in late April, a “good Samaritan” found a hidden den behind her shed.
The hideout was “full” of “little baby animals.” Not knowing what to do, the man took them to the animal shelter in an attempt to help a pair of babies who seemed helpless.
Once at the AHS facilities, veterinary specialists performed a thorough medical examination. “It was quickly determined that they were not household pets,” Dickerson said.
With this information, the organization’s experts decided that it was best for them to be transferred to the SWCC.
Inside the rescue center, employees determined that the unknown cubs were actually gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), species that, according to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museumlives in canyons, rocky ridges, forested areas, open deserts and grasslands in areas such as southern Canada, the USA, Mexico, Central America and some parts of South America.
SWCC employees give them the best care to ensure their correct rehabilitation process. Once they complete this stage “and are old enough to live on their own” they can be released into the wild.
“This story serves as an important reminder that mother animals offer the best chance of survival for little ones like these,” Dickerson said.
The public information officer alleged that when people find litters of “kittens,” their first instinct is to “run to help these fragile felines,” however, human intervention is “typically” not required.
“In fact, the best thing we can do is leave the kittens on their own. The mother will return soon, and it is critical for the calves to remain in her care, as she is the one who offers them the greatest chance of survival,” Dickerson added.
Kim Carr, animal care manager at SWCC, said in an interview with the newspaper Washington Post that when the animals first arrived they were fed “specialized formula for foxes” with a syringe every three hours, but today they can eat from a plate.
“I want to dress up and wear gloves so they don’t think I’m their mother. “I don’t talk to them and we keep sound machines on so they don’t hear human voices,” Carr said.
Within a month, both puppies will be moved to an enclosure that has natural shelters, according to the American media.
“It will give them a place to play in the sun, grow and develop their muscles. They will also learn to hunt live prey such as mice. It will be rewarding to release these young foxes into the wild. It is where they belong,” Carr celebrated.
