The rescue of a rare silver fox named Lake brings attention to the problem of foxes as pets.
In mid-April, a young fox with a unique dark coat began appearing in Medina County, causing a stir and generating discussions on local Facebook groups. However, to Michelle Craddock, the founder of Fox Tale Sanctuary, the pictures of the fox raised concerns rather than just fascination.
Describing it as a melanistic fox, commonly known as a silver fox, Craddock pointed out the rarity of such foxes in the wild, particularly in Ohio where only native red and gray foxes are typically found. She mentioned that the distinctive coloring of the fox hinted at its background as a fox bred in captivity.
Reports indicated that the male silver fox showed signs of previous domestication by taking food directly from people’s hands. When news spread that the fox had been injured, Craddock took action by contacting Lost Pets Recovery for assistance in safely trapping the fox without causing harm.
“If they’re trying to run away from a predator, a broken toe such as what he suffered from, would make him at high risk for obviously his demise,” she explained.
Today the fox, now named Lake, is almost fully recovered and settling into his life at Fox Tale Sanctuary. He had no microchip, and no owner ever came forward.
Lake’s story is far from unique.
Fox Tale Sanctuary, a nonprofit 501(c)(3), offers permanent homes to captive-bred foxes surrendered by overwhelmed pet owners or found abandoned. When Craddock and her team first opened the gates in 2023, the sanctuary housed 17 foxes. Today, that number has climbed to 31—and continues to grow.
The Realities of Fox Ownership
Many people fall in love with foxes after seeing adorable clips on social media. But Craddock says those viral moments don’t show the whole picture.
“When you watch them on TikTok or a Facebook reel or anything on social media, they look really, really cute and fun. That might be 1% of the time.”
Captive-bred foxes can become destructive—often around the time they turn six months old—chewing furniture, tearing through walls and marking territory with a strong, unpleasant scent. That’s when Craddock says the surrender calls usually start coming in.
“We get a ton of surrender calls every single week, and most of the time my initial response is to try and educate the owner—how to have the proper enclosure, different tricks and things that they can do to acclimate the fox to their home. But a lot of times, they’re just… so far past it.”
Thanks to a major donation from a private donor, the sanctuary is about to undergo a much-needed expansion. The upgrades will add 200 square feet to each existing fox enclosure and create new spaces for future rescues.
“Right now we are in the midst of starting on an expansion that not only will allow us to add 200 square feet to every single fox enclosure that’s currently here,” said Craddock.
The project also includes a large U-shaped backfield and will feature a secure open play yard.
“Everything will be double perimeter fenced in, but the center of that U-shape is going to be an open play yard. I’ll get emotional about it. It’s a dream of mine—to be able to let them go out and be foxes.”
Fox Tale Sanctuary is also pursuing licensing that will allow it to offer educational programs for schools and organizations. Craddock says volunteers are always welcome—especially those who are considering adopting a fox as a pet.
If you are interested in volunteering, donating, or learning more about fox care, you can visit them at foxtalesanctuary.com.
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