Man Vehemently Refuses To Allow His Family Adopt An Abandoned Fox

Pet foxes and family - a ten over ten on the drama scale

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• March 19, 2023

For centuries, humans have kept pets. From dogs to cats and even birds, humans don’t hesitate to have adorable furry companions to come home to daily. 

There are several reasons why people own these pets. For one, they offer companionship and emotional support. 

Having a pet is also a great way to reduce heart attacks and improve blood pressure and psychological well-being. Pet owners are also known to have lower rates of depression. 

However, not every animal is a suitable pet choice. After deciding to own a pet, it’s essential to ensure that you pick the one that suits your living situation and available resources. It’s also important to consider how pet ownership may affect those around you.

One family found themselves in a pickle when they wanted to adopt a fox, but one member believed it was a terrible idea.

OP shared on the AITA subreddit that their family visited a sanctuary without them and, during that period, met three foxes without owners.

While the sanctuary’s goal was to get people to adopt the foxes, they were finding it difficult to do so. This inspired OP’s wife and children to suggest that they adopt one of the foxes, a decision that didn’t please OP at all.

OP shared that they tried to shut down the adoption conversation. However, their family was convinced it should be done and accused them of being close-minded when they wouldn’t budge. 

Check out to see what other Redditors thought of OP’s situation.

The story in detail...

OP's wife an kids toured an animal sanctuary and seemed to pick interest in some foxes

It wasn't long before OP's daughter proposed that they adopt one fox. Although their wife was open to the idea, they weren't too keen on having a pet fox in the house

On doing some research, OP discovered that previous fox owners kept giving up their foxes due to the terrible stench. However, OP's wife and kids were adamant about adopting one

Here's how the Reddit community reacted to the story:

Why are people surrendering pet foxes so fast?

"Just think how quickly things are going to go south with a finicky problem pet like a fox."

"NTA OP a fox is a wild animal not just some common pet keep putting your foot down"

"From fox rescues, the majority of foxes who are surrendered are because of the smell."

"Pet foxes aren't a thing, they're wild"

"NTA, foxes are social if I remember right so adopting one would be kinda neglectful of it's social needs"

A little insight on how bad a fox's stench is

"The problem with fox stench is the staying power"

An unpleasant experience with a pet fox

"If they want a fox so bad, have them volunteer at an animal sanctuary that has foxes that can't be released into the wild"

"Your common sense approach to the commitment required, is the right approach."

"NTA - foxes are NOT pets. They should be rehabilitated to return to the wild wherever possible."

This pet sitter has a story to tell

Several people in the comments section believe that OP is NTA. According to them, they gave a valid reason for not wanting to adopt the fox.

Some even shared stories about foxes and echoed OP’s concern about their stench. As cute as foxes are, you have to ask yourself if you're ready for such a commitment.

What would you do if you were in OP’s position? Let us know in the comments below!

Jesse