Silver fox rescued after two-week mission
The fox was named Shadow by his rescuers.
A silver fox has finally been safely captured by animal rescuers after being regularly spotted around the town of Barry, Wales, for the past two weeks.
Since he was first been spotted on 8 April, numerous reports about the fox had been made to Black Foxes UK, an organisation which records sightings of unusually coloured foxes.
Local residents in the nearby village of Sully also reported seeing the fox, which was presumed to be an escaped pet, and plans were put in place to humanely capture the animal.
With the help of a local authority animal warden and a cat rescue team from the Shua Trust Home and Sanctuary, the fox was caught on Monday, 24 April.
There had been reports the fox had a leg injury, but when he was taken to a local veterinary practice, he was found to be in good health. Named Shadow by his rescuers, he appears to be around two years old.
Inquiries have been made to try to find his owner, but have so far been unsuccessful. Silver foxes are sometimes kept as exotic pets, although the RSPCA does not advise or condone keeping one.
The silver fox, also known as the black fox, is a variety of the North American red fox. It was first brought to the UK for the fur trade in the early 1900s. The colour of its fur can range from glossy black to bluish-grey.
It’s not the first time a silver fox has been captured in Barry. In 2021, a silver fox called Luna was also found abandoned.
Hayley de Ronde, founder of Black Foxes UK, praised the contribution made by Shua Trust in rescuing Shadow, saying they had gone ‘above and beyond’ to provide emergency assistance.
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
