F O X E S 10
T h i n g s
Yo u
S h o u l d
K n o w
A b o u t
D o m e s t i c a te d
Designed by: Alondra Armijo Morales
10 Things You Should Know About Domesticated Foxes In the United States
Dogs, cats, and birds are all great pets but have you ever thought of what it would be like to have another kind of pet? What animals out there can be pets? Can you take
care of one? In this booklet you will learn more about the frustration and happiness of owning a domesticated or tame fox and how they came to be.
Contents 02 Where are Foxes Located?
04 Fur Farming
06 Wild vs Domesticated
08 Fox Farm Experiment
10 Fox Breeding
12 Where are They Legal?
14 Cost for Fox
16 Fox Care
18 Where Does the Money Go?
20 Is a Fox Right for You?
22 Sources
Where are Foxes Located? IN THE UNITED STATES
Red foxes or foxes, as they are commonly known, are
currently the most common and widely distributed of all
wild carnivores. Foxes are native in most of the northern hemisphere and their geographical distribution spans from North America to Eurasia and Japan. The north-
ern limit of this distribution is the Arctic Circle and the
southern is Central America, North Africa and the Asian steppes.
European red foxes have been introduced to Australia
(1800), the United States and Canada (1600-1700) and
various other locations in the northern hemisphere. In North America foxes rapidly spread, it is thought that
this happened at the expense of the local fox subspecies (Vulpes vulpes fulva). Foxes are very adaptable animals
and live in habitats as different as tundra, mountain re-
gions, deserts and urban and suburban areas. This is why foxes can successfully colonize new environments and
become invasive species, competing with and predating
Key
on the local fauna.
02 // Where are Foxes Located?
Red Fox
Grey Fox
Arctic Fox
Fennec Fox
Black Fox
Pale Fox
Ruppell's Fox
Blandford's Fox
Most Common Foxes & Locations
Where are Foxes Located? // 03
Fur Farming COATS, BOOTS, AND TORTURE
Utilizing animal fur as a method to keep warm during harsh winters was very common with our ancestors.
Throughout the years, we have turned what used to be a necessity into a luxury.
As fur farming became more and more popular, peo-
ple started becoming aware of how animals were being
captured to be able to acquire their skin. Upon realizing the torture these animals endured, hunting for animal
pelt has become illegal in many countries, especially in
Europe; but this does not mean that it is still not a problem. Due to the huge population in foxes, they are the
second most hunted animal. This treatment in the fur
farming industry lead to the curiosity to stop the cruelty.
85%
of the fur industry's skins come from animals living captive in fur factory farms. 04 // Fur Farming
“Throughout the years, we have turned what used to be a necessity into a luxury.� Fur Farming // 05
Wild vs Domesticated
Prefer to Be Alone
PET OR WILD ANIMAL?
There are many differences between a fox in the wild and a domesticated or tame fox. Some of these are physical differences, many are psychological.
Just as dogs, tame and domesticated foxes have been
trained or genetically modified to like humans and to
have physical attributes that we tend to like such as soft
Many Can Be Found All Over the Wolrd
fur. Wild foxes prefer to be alone and are very good at
surviving for they have developed special instincts for
hunting. Domesticated foxes, on the other hand, if left
alone or thrown into the wilderness, they are most likely to die.
Although these two foxes may look very similar, their
character upon facing human interactions is what helps differentiate them the most.
They Are Still Hunted In Many Countries
06 // Wild vs Domesticated
WILD
Keen Survival Instincts
Can Be Trained Like Dogs
No Survival Instincts
with Difficulty Treated to Like Humans
DOMESTICATED
Softer, More Colorful Fur
Make Many Sounds
When Fearful, They Release a Powerful Odor
High Protein, Vegetable,
and Fruit Diet
Wild vs Domesticated // 07
50 Years
of experimentation, and the first domesticated fox had finally been created. 08 // The Fox Farm Experiment
The Fox Farm Experiment DOMESTICATION AND GENETICS
For many years, fur farming industries would capture
many wild animals such as foxes and collect their fur.
To make it easier for them, they would breed those who behaved better until tame foxes came to be.
A Soviet geneticist named Dmitry K. Belyaev was
very interested by this and thought that domestication was something that could be genetically done. For his
practice, the worked on tame foxes from fur farming in-
dustries to show that domestication could be done. After
many years, the first domesticated fox had been created. This fully domesticated fox cost several thousands of
dollars and is often shipped to the USA in states where it is legal to have this animal as a pet. Thanks to Dimitry,
more awareness was brought to the excesive fur farming in Europe as well as the scientific reasoning behind domestication.
The Fox Farm Experiment // 09
Fox Breeding BREEDING GENETICALLY MODIFIED
The process for genetically domesticated foxes and tame
perfect pet fox. The genetically domesticated foxes are
one that happened not so long ago. Humans have been
have many dog like traits. As for tame foxes breed in
foxes to be able to be well behaved around humans was
known to tame all sorts of animals, including foxes. We
see stories of these in folklore and children’s books and
much of what they say is accurate. Foxes are really smart animals that prefer solitude which makes wanting them
most similar to dogs. These crave human attention and farms, they are still wild foxes that like humans and have some dog like traits for having experienced what human contact was for so long.
As if these changes weren’t enough, domesticated
to be man’s best friend quiet hard.
foxes also have physical features similar to dogs as liking
genetically domesticated, this opened up many doors in
nurtured. As these changes kept happening, mating
After Dimitry was able to prove that animals can be
genetics. His more than fifty years of research lead to
seeing how breeding the most tame foxes together and
to be scratched, having floppy ears, and wanting to be patterns among foxes multiplied.
then modulating the genetics of these would lead to the
2-7
pups or baby foxes are born per litter
10 // Fox Breeding
Fox Breeding // 11
Where are They Legal? WHERE ONE CAN OWN A FOX IN THE USA
Although foxes are becoming a very common animal
for people to own as pets, they are not legal to own in
Illinois
Arkansas
every state. Foxes are allowed to have as pets only if you
certify that you can own one and if bought legally. If you
are taking care of a fox and you don’t have it legally, then you could face time in jail.
The best way to certify that you can buy a fox legally
Michigan
would be to go online and verify if your state and city
allow it. If so, make sure to check for credible fox sellers
and do research on how long they have been selling foxes or wild animals for.
If owning a fox is legal in your area, make sure that
you have the resources to care for this fox and follow
all instructions given by the original owner or breeder.
These rules must be followed if not strict consequences may be applied.
12 // Where are They legal?
Ohio
Virginia Indiana
Iowa
Nebraska
Rhode Island Mississippi
Minnesota
Oklahoma
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Where are They Legal? // 13
Top Fox Costs $100
Arctic Foxes
Red Foxes and Fennec Foxes
14 // Cost for a Fox
Cost for a Fox PRICES FOR A "PET" FOX
$8,000
Siberian Foxes
The cost for a tame fox in the USA can cost anywhere
from $400-$2,000. This price is due to how known the seller is and how well their foxes are rated in the community.
As for foxes domesticated in Europe, as the domes-
ticated ones that Dimitry helped create, can cost any-
where from $6,000-$8,000. These are not as common to be wanted for the price is so high but exotic animal lovers are willing to pay the price.
The most common fox to buy would have to be the red
fox followed by the grey fox. These two types of foxes are ones that are most far along in being tame and, in areas where they are legal, they are usually available.
Cost for a Fox // 15
Fox Care RESPONSIBILITIES AND FOX TEMPERAMENT
Taking care of a fox is incredible time consuming. To be able to be fully immersed in your fox’s life, you need to be able to spend a lot of quality time with them. This means that wherever you go, they go.
They are low maintenance when it comes to hygiene
but high maintenance when it comes to attention. They need constant attention when they need it and space when they need it.
As for their diet, they mostly eat regular foods that
we consume such as meats, fruits, and vegetables. They like having their own personal space where they can
have their personal items that will not be touched. Many foxes also enjoy being cuddled and scratched like dogs.
16 // Fox Care
Fox Care // 17
Pin Here Turn Page
these incredible animals.
Where Does the Money God? // 19
to be able to provide healthier lives and better homes for
illegal ownership of a wild animal. All the money helps
able to keep better track of illegal fur farming and the
Some things that these companies do would be being
the mistreatment of these animals in many countries.
of people and companies to be able to bring awareness to
Some of the money also gets donated to different groups
usually goes to vaccinations, food, shelter, and toys.
of these. Money given to local breeders for the adoption
domestication of wild animals as well as the breeding
Europe, helps scientists conduct more research on the
for many domesticated foxes, specifically bought from
and the awareness of these animals. The money given
that you are contributing to research, food, shelter,
Adopting a fox, along with other animals, means
adopting an “exotic� animal.
mitment of adopting a fox, they are doing more than
When someone decides to make the immense com-
WHAT DONATIONS AND ADOPTION FEES DO
Where Does the Money Go?
Junip Loves Her Best Frie Moose(do Instagram: juniperfo 20 // Is a Fox Right
per end og) oxx
Jay
Riot
Loves Sleep and Food
All Smiles
Instagram: jay_red_fox
Instagram:kristenspack
Vincent A Little Prince Instagram: vincent.the.fox
Is a Fox Right for You? WHAT CARING FOR A FOX IS REALLY LIKE
Many think that since they own a dog or a cat, they can
own a fox. This is very untrue. Foxes might be similar to
both animals but in no way are they in the same category. Foxes are complex creatures that need nurturing from
patient and loving owners. These animals have very
peculiar habits such as the ones that are clearly linked to their wild instincts. Foxes have a very wild temper and
they wish when they wish to do it. Although training is
possible, in can be very difficult.
If considering buying a fox, one must think if one has
the space, the time, and the patience to care for such an
animal. Foxes are kind, witty, and loving animals, but they are definitely not for an average pet owner.
tend to be somewhat savage. They like to do more of what Is a Fox Right for You? // 21
22 // Sources
Sources http://www.city-data.com/forum/pets/849493-states-allow-foxes-pets.html https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763232/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763232/ http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2016/09/14/russian-experiment-breeds-domesticated-foxes/#.WDODDuErLFS https://www.fastcompany.com/3037451/pet-week/meet-your-new-pet-adomesticated-fox http://www.livescience.com/27168-foxes.html http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-clothing/animals-used-clothing-factsheets/inside-fur-industry-factory-farms/ http://www.thefoxwebsite.net/populations/northamerica https://www. unsplash.com https://www. instagram.com/juniperfoxx https://beastiet.wordpress.com/2011/02/19/a-red-foxs-gaze/
Sources // 23