FOX ON THE RUN
AVC Wildlife Service repairs, rehabs and releases animal
AVC Wildlife Service repairs, rehabs and releases animal
Fiep de Bie relishes the opportunity to grant freedom.
Friday was one of those special occasions for the wildlife technician with the Atlantic Veterinary College.
De Bie, along with other technicians, vet students and surgical staff, was on hand to let a fox loose after successful repair and rehab at the AVC.
She says releasing wild animals like this roughly oneyear-old small, female silver fox back into their natural habitat is rewarding.
“It’s always a great feeling,’’ says de Bie.
“It’s always a very happy day when something like that happens. It’s always a privilege to work with wildlife and give them a second chance.’’
The fox was found injured in Charlottetown on March 18.
The animal was brought to the AVC Wildlife Service barely conscious after presumably being struck by a vehicle.
The fox was treated for head trauma and placed on an intravenous therapy for several days before it started to improve.
A radiograph revealed that its left hip was dislocated. Dr. Pierre Amsellem performed surgery to fix it.
In the following weeks, the fox was rehabilitated in a large enclosure that allowed it to exercise its leg. The temporary home came with a make-shift den.
The fox may always have a slight limp but is expected to return to normal activities in the wild and have a normal life.
De Bie says the animal took some coaxing Friday to get out of the carrier before bolting into a large field on the outskirts of Charlottetown.
“She took a run for it, looked around, got familiar with her environment,’’ she says.
“She might have a slight limp but we saw her running and she was very quick.’’