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Ghost came with the name "Foxy" and
was described to us over the phone as a young neutered arctic
fox (a different species from the silver fox). His story starts
out at an animal swap in the spring of 1998 where he was
purchased as a kit by a man who wanted to keep him as a pet.
Several months later, a young couple was taking a walk in the
woods and came across this very same man and his now older fox.
When they inquired about the critter, the man told them he was
contemplating either releasing Foxy (an unreleasable wild
animal) into the wild or putting him to sleep because he no
longer wanted to keep him. Without hesitation, the young couple
took Foxy home where he was raised along side a small child and
several dogs and cats for about a year. One day Animal Control
showed up and told them to find Foxy a new home. Several more
visits later, Animal Control gave them one final opportunity to
place Foxy or have him put to sleep. Foxy was very lucky to
have been given so many chances. Animal Control will usually
seize and immediately destroy a wild animal like Foxy. A few
days later Foxy was dropped off at a pet shop. That's where we
stepped in. There was no doubt in our minds that Foxy was
well-loved by the young couple. However, his tightly fitting
harness was improperly put on and was so tight that it had to
be cut off with scissors. His legs and belly had raw patches of
skin where the fur had been rubbed off. His ears were also
chewed up by flies.
Ghost is now happy and healthy and
living with our 3 other silver foxes: Sterling,
Kate, and
Silver. He is the BIGGEST love and will eagerly accept as much
petting and belly scratching as we're able to give. Sometimes
he'll gently hold my arm in his mouth as a way of showing
dominance. He also gives lots of kisses, but will nip your face
without warning if you're not paying attention!
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