Silver fox, Jackson, was kept by a breeder for years in a tiny tiled room, with another female fox. Sadly, before the animals were to be confiscated by an animal welfare organisation, the female had already died. The breeder filed a lawsuit against the confiscation, and it took over a year of fighting for Jackson to ensure he does not return to these unsuitable conditions.

Finally, in April 2019, Jackson arrived safe and sound to his new home at TIERART Wild Animal Sanctuary. He felt the grass under his paws and open skies above him for the first time in his life! Today, he lives with another rescue fox, Porthos.

Jackson sometimes brings food to Porthos, which he takes out of the bowl and places under Porthos' nose. How sweet!

Every year, millions of foxes just like Jackson are abused and killed for their fur. Thankfully, Jackson will never fall victim to such cruelty, and instead live the life of peace and safety he deserves.

Over 100 million animals are killed for their fur annually (worldwide). Most animals are raised on fur farms, trapped in tiny wire cages and forced to endure a shocking life of cruelty, while millions of wild animals are caught and killed for their fur using wire snares and body-gripping, foothold, and leghold traps. 

The behavioural needs of animals kept for fur production can never be met on farms. Scientific publications highlight several serious welfare problems on fur farms while field investigations in different countries consistently reveal cruel conditions for all animal species, including:

• Isolation in restrictive and barren cages that do not allow the animal to live the way they usually would in the wild.
• Dirty cages that lead to suffering including illness, and untreated wounds and infections.
• Abnormal behaviours like stereotypies, fur chewing or self-injury due to stress and frustration.
• Inhumane handling methods such as beating, strangling, and dragging animals.
• Inhumane slaughter methods include gassing, electrocution, suffocation and skinning animals alive.
• Selective breeding of “monster foxes” for pathological obesity to maximise pelt size.

Unfortunately, in 2022 the two foxes Porthos and Sir Henry, with whom Jackson had shared his enclosure, unfortunately died. Luckily he didn't have to stay alone for long and now has two new roommates: Red fox SingSing and polar fox Samara. SingSing was found on a dirt road – nobody knew where she came from, but she probably has lived with humans as she is not shy at all. Samara was rescued from a fur farm and moved in at TIERART in November 2022. The three foxes complement each other and get along well in their enclosure.