Robin Schwartz

Lamby, Lena Dunham's dog, rescued from a shelter: National Geographic - Animals

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC / Animals 

Rescued foxes find refuge in Minnesota  

At Save A Fox, fur farm rescues, pet surrenders find a home 

click on photos for Nat Geo captions 

  • National Geographic: Rescued foxes find refuge in Minnesota FEBRUARY 6, 2019 At Save a Fox sanctuary in Minnesota, fur farm rejects and exotic pet cast-offs find a new home.
  • A white fox named Rowyn relaxes in the sun in front of the barn at Save a Fox, where founder Mikayla Raines takes in foxes from pet owners who got in over their heads and from fur farms.
  • “I think she wanted to play with my flash diffuser, which looked like a white rubber ball,” says photographer Robin Schwartz of Thystle the fox. “I was following Thystle around, so she woke to accommodate my curiosity about her.”
  • Raines has taught the animals at Save A Fox how to do high fives, including Schitzy the cat. Beside Raines, foxes Ash and Daisy play.
  • Ash was born on a fur farm, where his mother chewed off his ears. The farm turned him over to Save a Fox because they no longer wanted his pelt.
  • A newly rescued fox named Luka is confined to his enclosure while she acclimates to the new environment. Raines leaves toys because foxes to help satisfy their curiosity.
  • Save A Fox volunteer Kellie Kruse holds a fox named Artemis as Schitzy the cat walks ahead. Savannah the bobcat, peering out the window, was rescued from a fur farm.
  • Banjo was an indoor pet before he was surrendered to Save a Fox. After the photographer visited, Banjo was adopted into new permanent home. Raines screens and approves potential adopters because foxes are difficult and high-maintenance in captivity, requiring outdoor space and lots of enrichment.
  • Tonia is one of the most confident foxes at Save A Fox, among both animals and people. “Tonia taught me not to have the jerky in my front pants pocket, if I wanted to keep my pants on,” says photographer Robin Schwartz.
  • A red fox named Queen Dixie looks up in a bid for treats. The foxes know that the volunteers keep dried chicken jerky on hand, and the animals sometimes beg for them.
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  • Many of the foxes, including Thystle, relax in the heat of the day by curling up in a cool spot in the grass.
  • Foxx Foxington is an arctic fox who can be aggressive, so he’s sometimes kept on a long leash. Arctic foxes are usually white or dark “blue” in the wild, but captive-bred foxes can come in a variety of colors.
  • Despite being sensitive to light, Rowyn is a particularly active fox, who runs, jumps, squeaks loudly, and steals toys from others, “especially Banjo,” Schwartz says.
  • A taxidermy mount of Farah, a much-loved fox, remains in Raines’ office, stuffed to look as though she’s sleeping with her favorite toys. Behind the mount is a wall of cards, drawings, and notes to Save A Fox from supporters.
  • Foxes surround Raines, their rescuer, as she sits in front of an oak tree on her property. “I was fascinated by how Mikayla held court with the foxes,” Schwartz says.
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