Silver foxes make the best pets.
Take it away, naturepunk….
Don’t mind if I do…
Let’s start with the basics: Foxes DO NOT make good pets. Cats and dogs make good pets. But foxes, while often raised to be ‘domestic’ thanks to the fur industry, are still fucking foxes and will not behave like your beloved Fido or Mittens; they require far more time, money, training, and special medical care than the average Joe can provide or afford.
They do not follow the same human social cues that cats and dogs do. And when cornered or threatened, even purely on accident, they will not give you a break just because you are their owner and “they know you”; They will bite, and it will hurt, and if you need medical care as a result of said bite, most states in the US will require the offending animal to be terminated and their brain tested for rabies, even if it’s captive-raised, because foxes are not recognized as domestic animals - and rightfully so.
So let’s say you’re rich and your aunt just happens to be a licensed exotic animal vet. So you get a fox. You build a pen for it in your fancy back yard. You cuddle with it and love it and give it all the essentials it needs to live happily and you’re lucky enough that it never bites you or your friends/family.That’s great for you. But congrats on being a complete fucking asshole anyway. Why? Because instead of spending $5,000.00 - $20,000.00 on a “domestic fox” (which - admit it, you only wanted for the ego boost to begin with), you could have gone to your local animal shelter and adopted a dog or cat which was in dire need of a good home.
If you love foxes, don’t buy one to keep in your house. Go on a fucking hike, and enjoy them in their natural habitat, where they actually belong.
If you want a pet, rescue a cat or dog (or two, since you obviously have the space and money for it). Do not spend a small fortune on an exotic so that you can feel all high and mighty about owning wild animals.