In 2001 we had a call on a baby grey fox who had been raised by a vet tech and her little 4 year old girl, who had let the baby fox sleep with her and named him Todd, after the fox in the Disney film "The Fox and the Hound". We expected a somewhat tame fox but had no idea what we were about to have join our family...Todd came out of the pet carrier and immediately came up to us all, licking and wagging his tail. He was so friendly it took us all off guard. He never let up, and was the favorite of anyone who came to Lakota. He was so friendly and loving, he made a great ambassador for grey foxes, and even today, we consider them one of our favorite animals just from our experiences with this special little guy.

To say that this little comic was a clown was an understatement. Autumn came to us at a very young age (still in her grey stage) and was bottle fed. While, true to Red Fox nature, she was leary of people she didn't know, she never met a stranger in her animal world, and often scared them with her forwardness. When she was old enough to join the others in the habitat, it was like her comedic material increased. For example, there was a small hole in the wall over the counter where I prepared treats every morning. She found it from a shelf just outside the wall and enlarged it without my notice. One day, as I prepared the treats I heard something above me. I looked up to find a grinning Red Fox head on the wall, as if mounted, except for the proud grin. I couldn't help but laugh at the nut. She made a habit of overseeing my preparations for many mornings to come, then would meet me somehow before I could get to the door, ready for her loot.  

Once in a lifetime, if you're blessed enough, you encounter another being who seems to share your soul. Samson was that animal for me. From the time I found him set aside at a local breeder to die, I bonded with the little bundle, who later grew to over 180 pounds! The size didn't matter, though. It was as though we were tied together from the beginning. From the day he gained his strengh to nurse my finger to the day he died 2 years later, he crawled up on my lap and nursed my finger every day of his life. The day I found him dead, I thought my life was over.I look forward to seeing him again someday, and I miss him every day even now.