Andrea Monette stepped out of her front door Monday and locked eyes with a sickly young fox that had ambled on to her front porch.
The opening of the door – and the sudden presence of a human – startled the dazed animal, who skittered away up the street toward Orillia Secondary School.
The fox, who looks to be suffering from mange and is in deteriorating health, was first spotted at Couchiching Beach Park a few weeks ago. A photo on Facebook prompted lots of concerns and a flood of calls to the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and local wildlife agencies.
OrilliaMatters outdoor columnist David Hawke reported, after seeing the photos, that it appeared the fox was suffering from mange, a skin disease caused by a parasite called a Sarcoptes scabei mite.
“These mites are tiny ... and as they burrow into the outer skin they set off an overpowering urge to scratch and scratch and scratch," wrote Hawke. "With enough scratching the fur is dislodged and the skin tenderized, making a welcome mat for more mites to hop on board.”
Somewhat surprisingly, the fox is still alive and, in recent days, has been wandering around the York Street neighbourhood, said Monette.
“He looks really dehydrated and malnourished,” she said, noting she and other neighbours have put water and dog kibble out to try to supply him some much-needed nourishment.
They are also hoping they can catch him. Monette said they have large dog crates at the ready and hope they can entice him into the cage. They are hopeful they can take him to a wildlife rescue agency, although Monette is realistic about its future.
“We’re just hoping to catch him and it’s likely that they’ll just have to put him down. We just don’t want him to suffer any longer.”
With that in mind, Monette and her neighbour, Michelle Day, encourage anyone who sees the suffering animal to contact them, so they can try to snare him and transport him to a wildlife agency.
For more information, call Monette at 705-345-5773 or Day: 705-817-8336.
