The Fantastic Finnegan Fox
And His SaveAFox Friends
By Samuel Hinke
Who is Finnegan Fox? He’s no George Clooney, but still a very handsome boy. As the unofficial mascot of SaveAFox, Finnegan Fox has been able to generate a great deal of interest in a subject most people do not even think about. Perhaps I should start at the beginning. One day while perusing YouTube for only the finest content (i.e. adorable and funny animal videos) I came across a masterpiece titled “Dixiedo fox runs away with my phone”. One minute and twenty-three seconds was all it took for me to become enthralled by this creator. Who was she, why was this fox named Dixiedo, and how could I see more. I was not disappointed by what I found.
Enter Mikayla Raines, fox enthusiast and epitome of human selflessness. But who is she really? Remember when you were a kid and wanted an exotic pet that your parents never got for you? For most of us the story ends there, but not for Mikayla Raines. When she met her very first fox at age 15 while volunteering for a wildlife rehabber, there was no going back. What started as simply a love for foxes became much more when, in 2015, she was given her first furry friend, Farrah Foxett. It was a captive born red fox pup, and captive born foxes are not legally allowed to be wild. Although not a true ‘rescue’ Mikayla dedicated her time to bottle feeding and raising this adorable creature. It would not have been right to deny the world knowledge of this little cutie, so Mikayla began sharing the story of Ms Foxett to anyone and everyone who would listen.
Enter Mikayla Raines, fox enthusiast and epitome of human selflessness. But who is she really? Remember when you were a kid and wanted an exotic pet that your parents never got for you? For most of us the story ends there, but not for Mikayla Raines. When she met her very first fox at age 15 while volunteering for a wildlife rehabber, there was no going back. What started as simply a love for foxes became much more when, in 2015, she was given her first furry friend, Farrah Foxett. It was a captive born red fox pup, and captive born foxes are not legally allowed to be wild. Although not a true ‘rescue’ Mikayla dedicated her time to bottle feeding and raising this adorable creature. It would not have been right to deny the world knowledge of this little cutie, so Mikayla began sharing the story of Ms Foxett to anyone and everyone who would listen.
Most of these animals are wild by nature, and need only a few minutes of socialization with her before they are satisfied, running off to do their own thing. To this end, Mikayla has had to adapt her schedule to that of the animals;
“I am definitely crepuscular like the Red and Arctic foxes. My normal sleep hours are typically 5am-12pm, but this also depends on the season. During pup season when I am bottle raising I have to feed the pups every 3-4 hours. The Grey foxes’ most active hours are between 4am and 6am so they will occasionally wake me.”
She has even gained the ability to mimic their fox calls with near perfect accuracy. Half the time when you are watching a video you will not know if it is her or the foxes laughing.
Mikayla adores all of her animals, that much is clear. Not only does she raise some of these pups quite literally by hand, but she takes the time to nurture each and every one. Each new fox gets trained 1on1 with Mikayla before they can spend time outside in the fox yard. She must teach them the word “treat” as a way to entice them back into their cages at night. Raw chicken tends to be the go to for these treats. It can take anywhere from a few weeks to an entire year before the foxes are trained enough to get daily yard time.
You can change the life of a furry creature forever by one of three ways; donation, sponsorship, and/or adoption.
The first is donation. Organizations like these live on donations, and caring for fifty animals at a time is certainly a costly endeavor. Habitats need constant maintenance, foxes need medical care, and do not even get me started on food. You can visit saveafox.org/donate to help out today.
If you want a more direct contribution, consider sponsorship. Sponsoring one of the animals at SaveAFox allows your money to go directly to their care and needs. As a sponsor you will have partial ownership and be consulted for future decisions about the animal’s life. Unlike donation, sponsorship is a commitment. Monthly donations are required in order to provide the best possible life for your furry new friend. Of course, if you ever find yourself unable to continue sponsorship that is ok. All help is appreciated, no matter the duration.
This brings us to our final option: adoption. Now we get to a very important part of this article. For those thinking they are going to go out and adopt a fox after reading this article, I urge you to consider some things. These are wild animals by nature, through and through. They can be domesticated to some extent, but will always have that side to them. Playtime can turn into roughhousing if you are not careful, and potty training will not stop them from ‘marking their territory’ every now and again. All that being said, SaveAFox encourages adoption of all their animals if you are knowledgeable and willing to take care of them.
If you get nothing else from this article at least remember that there is someone out there caring for, and sharing her love of, adorable furry foxes for all to see.
