Rescued Fox and His Caretaker: A Special Bond
A 74-year-old man has built an incredibly affectionate relationship with a fox he rescued — and now she wants to cuddle with him every single day.
The young animal was brought to the Nuneaton and Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary seven years ago in a very ill condition.
Geoff Grewcock believes she was poisoned, and spent the following year nursing her back to health after naming her Sweep.
Unfortunately, she imprinted on him and could no longer be released into the wild. Sweep now spends her life alongside a variety of wild animals being rehabilitated at the rescue centre.
Daily hugs as a token of gratitude
«Sweep is such a lovable, friendly fox,» says Geoff, the owner of the centre in Nuneaton, England.
«Most people can stroke her, but she is definitely closest to me and insists that we have a hug every single day.
I think it is her way of saying thank you for all the care we give her.»
Although she is healthy today, when the two first met, Sweep was in poor condition and Geoff had doubts whether she would survive.
From bottle-fed cub to beloved companion
«When we first got her, we did not think there was much hope. She was so lethargic and ill that I had to bottle-feed her for months and inject Sweep with a saline solution at night.»
«Fortunately, after the administration of medication and a good dose of cuddles, she pulled through, and seven years later she is still here.»
James Cook, a London-based wildlife content writer, visited the rescue centre in June and captured the remarkable relationship of the unlikely pair.
«Sweep is simply totally in love with Geoff», said the 30-year-old. «The two hugged for about 10 minutes while I was there.
It was so sweet to see a fox up close, which is rare when you consider that they are not meant to be pets.»
