10/20/2026
🚨 LISTEN .... DO RIGHT BY YOUR PETS & OUR WILDLIFE!🚨
NC Wildlife Rehab was contacted about this gray fox in Huntersville after a property owner became concerned about the fox lingering on their property for much of the day. With a new puppy at home, they understandably had concerns about their pet’s safety.
Thankfully, they sent multiple videos, which were incredibly helpful in determining how to proceed. In the background of those videos? The sound of trees being cleared.
Let that sink in.
Huntersville and the surrounding areas are losing wildlife habitat at an alarming rate. We cannot continue destroying the places wildlife call home and expect these animals to simply adapt without consequences.
As their natural habitats shrink and become increasingly fragmented, wildlife is forced into smaller spaces and closer contact with people and domestic animals. We are also seeing increased concerns about canine distemper in wildlife, particularly in Mecklenburg County and surrounding areas. This disease can be devastating to foxes and other wildlife, and it poses a serious health risk to unvaccinated pets.
And can we talk about what passes for "green space" in some of these developments?
Bradford pears that smell like dead fish and crape myrtles planted around buildings are not a substitute for healthy, functioning habitat. Trees and landscaping have their place, but true green space must do more than look green.
Wildlife needs native vegetation, connected habitat, cover, and places to forage, den, and raise their young. We need better standards that prioritize ecological function, not just appearance.
Even more frustrating is the practice of HOAs hiring wildlife removal companies to eliminate foxes, geese, and other animals deemed a “nuisance” to golf courses and residential communities.
We destroy their hunting grounds, disrupt their dens, and then blame them for trying to survive in the spaces we have left them.
Foxes are natural predators that help regulate prey populations, including geese. Rather than immediately resorting to removal, communities should explore humane, science-based coexistence strategies.
The wildlife DID NOT choose to have their homes destroyed. We did.
Every animal is simply trying to survive, yet time and time again, we treat wildlife as though they are the problem rather than recognizing our role in creating these conflicts.
A HUGE THANK YOU to Officer McManus with the Huntersville Police Department Animal Services Unit for recognizing that this situation deserved attention, caring about her community, and safely containing and transporting this fox to NC Wildlife Rehab for care. We are grateful for people who choose compassion and take action when an animal needs help.
Unfortunately, this fox is another victim of canine distemper and their condition highlights why responsible pet ownership matters so much.
🐾 Please keep your pets vaccinated, especially against rabies and canine distemper. Vaccination helps protect your pets from preventable diseases. Keep dogs away from wildlife acting abnormally, and never attempt to handle a sick or disoriented wild animal.
Your pets deserve protection. Our wildlife deserves to live in healthy, functioning habitats. And we should be able to protect both.
We cannot keep taking away their homes and then punish them for showing up in ours.
