SAFE HAVEN IS HOME TO THREE PERMANENT-PLACEMENT FOXES.

CHEYENNE—A Safe Haven Success Story

Red fox Serena acted as a surrogate mother for two orphaned fox kits who were brought to our sanctuary in Illinois in the spring of 2006. The first kit was a male who was in reasonably good condition; he was released in the fall, after he was mature enough to live on his own in the wild.

The second kit, a female now named Cheyenne (left), was brought to Safe Haven by a couple who had spent two weeks trying to catch her. Her chances for survival appeared poor. She was emaciated, and had such a severe case of sarcoptic mites (mange) that her skin was infected. Her fur was so matted that it was stuck to her skin, her ears were cracked and bleeding, and her eyes were so infected that she couldn't open them. For over an hour each day, Safe Haven's volunteers gave her soaking baths and picked her fur away from her fragile skin. She was also medicated for the mange and infections, recovered slowly but steadily, and grew into the beautiful vixen that she is today.

After much consideration, we concluded that Cheyenne may be vulnerable to infections that would compromise her ability to survive in the wild. As Safe Haven's newest and youngest permanent resident, Cheyenne traveled to Nevada with our other residents in November 2006.

Silver fox Sydney arrived for permanent placement in the autumn of 2004. He came from an amusement park/petting zoo that was closing and threatening to euthanize him if immediate placement weren't available. His keeper at the park contacted Safe Haven for emergency placement. Sydney is a very energetic and active fox who demands to be the center of attention.

Arctic fox Juno was an illegal pet, one of over sixty animals that local Animal Control authorities confiscated from a suburban Illinois residence in the autumn of 2005. We cared for him while the case was processed in court, and he officially became a permanent resident of Safe Haven when the case was settled in February 2006. Native to the tundras of North America, Europe, Asia, Iceland and Greenland, Arctic foxes are white with black at the tip of the tail during winter, and grayish-brown in summer. The custom-built "igloo den” in Juno's enclosure is reminiscent of his native habitat.

Cheyenne, Sydney, & Juno are available for sponsorship in our Adopt-an-Animal program.

In Memory of Serena—Goodbye to a Beloved Friend

Serena, our first permanent placement fox, was brought to Safe Haven as an orphan kit in Spring 2003. A hit-by-car victim, she was nonreleasable because of lingering neurological problems. Serena loved attention, and endeared herself to our volunteers with her sweet and gentle nature.

In May 2007, we made the very difficult decision to euthanize Serena after she experienced several bouts of intense seizures that recurred in spite of attentive and expert veterinary treatment. She was always a rather delicate creature, and it appeared that full recovery would not be possible.

Serena will be deeply missed, even as we continue to "see" her in the lovely young fox Cheyenne, whom Serena raised for us last year.

When evening arrives, I welcome the rays of the setting sun.
—Tesnohlidek/Janacek, The Cunning Little Vixen