Meadow the Fox goes free! - Procyon Wildlife

About 6 weeks ago a little fox came into our care with a severe case of mange. A sweet little soul who found his way to some caring humans for help. They contacted us and we got him to Procyon. He spent a few weeks inside the Center in the vet room; quiet and not bothered and getting special care and medication. He even escaped one night. Crystal our animal care coordinator came in in the morning and found him curled up on top of a box with a nice comfy bed on it. Fast asleep. He had trashed the room a little but otherwise he seemed quite content and proud of his accomplishments.

She cleaned up the room and his cage and put him back in where he curled up again and went back to sleep. She gave him a very comfortable warm fleece blanket. He was a happy camper again.

Meadow continued to heal; he had a healthy appetite. His eyes started clearing up so he could now see. His fur looked a bit better every day. He started grumbling at us when we cared for him. This little fox was getting better. We got quite the chuckles out of his very not so fierce growls. It put smiles on our faces. He was such a sweetheart.

Then the day came that Meadow needed to go outside. It was time. He would get a thicker coat and get acclimatized to the weather. He had nice warm straw in his shelter with lots of branches and evergreen boughs and trunks upon which to climb; things from the forest to make his environment as natural as possible. This was his new home for the next couple weeks. He really did not like us anymore either now that he felt better.

His cage area outside had covers around it, so he was not exposed to the open. There was, however, a tear in one spot and you would always see him sitting or lying on the enclosure up off the ground. That was his lookout spot and he felt more comfortable knowing what was going on around him. He did not miss a thing. But go into the enclosure, he ran into his nice comfy house. And just peeked out at you. As if to say, go away. To come out and get his meals when you left. He really was a cute little dude with a personality.

Then it was time. He looked amazing. Beautiful coat and tail puffy like a fox’s tail should be. We made the arrangements to take him home. He was not happy with his capture but was quiet on his hour-long trip North. When we got him there, he got up and went to the door and looked around, sniffing the air. We opened the door and he got up and peeked out, then ran into the forest.

We watched him look around to get his bearings. Sniffing the forest floor and sniffing the air. He knew where he was. He looked back at us. That look of thanks for saving me. He then turned and ran up the hill. Knowing exactly where he was going. He was home. Maybe he will find his family again and reunite with them. It was a beautiful area. He blended right into the forest floor leaves. It was the perfect release. The happy ending, we always hope for. Good luck little Meadow. Be free and be safe.