Woman Spots Old, Blind Arctic Fox At A Dog Shelter And Does The Right Thing
If you've never seen an Arctic Fox, you are missing out on something extraordinary. They are beautiful, but they can be challenging to spot because, as their name would suggest, they live in the mountains in the Arctic regions.
Hundreds of thousands of these beautiful animals are in the wild, so they aren't in danger of extinction, according to National Geographic. Like any other type of fox, they are wild animals, so restrictions are placed on who can own them.
According to Wise Voter, in the United States, there are only 15 states that allow people to own a fox, and even those states have restrictions. They are considered to be dangerous to humans. They are also loud and have a lot of energy.
And then there is Archie. According to GeoBeats Animals, he was dropped off at a Colorado dog shelter when he was eight. He is an Arctic Fox that is also blind.
No one knows why Archie got dropped off at the dog shelter. Perhaps his former humans couldn't keep up with his care, or they had to move.
Regardless, he went from the shelter in Colorado to Minnesota, where he was moved to a fox rescue. Archie didn't care for it and didn't want to socialize with the other foxes.
That is when the Arctic Fox Daily Wildlife Rescue came in. They do more than provide a safe place for foxes that cannot be released into the wild. They rehabilitate native wildlife in New York, doing what they can, if possible, to give them a home or safely put them back in the wild.
According to GeoBeats Animals, the founder of the organization, Kimberly DeFisher, said: "When Archie first got here, he was definitely very reserved, but what's really cool is that Archie, fast forward a little bit, has completely come out of his shell."
Archie was born blind, so he has become accustomed to living without eyesight. He does well remembering his boundaries but still bumps into things occasionally. He also knows the word "treat."
Lulu is a special person in Archie's life. They often hang out with each other at the sanctuary. They even go on dates with another couple of foxes, Cleo and tundra.
Kimberly says that people sometimes ask her why she puts so much into caring for these animals. Many people think they aren't worth the trouble, but she has seen the rewards of doing it.
Kimberly also shares how Archie is getting near the end of his life. An Arctic Fox will typically live up to 10 years old and the wild, and Archie is now 10 years old. Kimberly wants to make sure he is happy now that he is older.
There is a video showing Archie's beauty and how much these wonderful animals mean to Kimberly. You can see it below but be warned, it will touch your heart:
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