Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus)Our Neighbors: The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus)
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Our Neighbors: The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus)
Table of Contents

Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 01
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 01) We spotted our neighbor's children at play, so I grabbed our camera and quickly became engrossed in taking their pictures.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 02
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 02) The kids kept playing and running around the house and then up on to the roof.  The two on top look like they are mirror images of each other.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 03
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 03) After all the running around, this little one decided to take a rest.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 04
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 04) More rooftop play! As we enjoy watching the gray foxes, let us remember that God gave them a special fur coat to be worn by them and not by selfish humans, who care nothing about the pain and suffering that goes into making such garments.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 05
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 05) Going back into their home through their roof door.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 06
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 06) Things seemed to get too quiet for these two, so they engaged in a little wrestling match to liven things up a bit.  They moved around so fast that about half of the pictures were blurry and couldn't be used in this series.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 07
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 07) As we watched these foxes enjoying life as God intended, we couldn't help but think of the absolute abomination and holocaust we commit against other members of their species on so-called "ranches" where fox are raised for their fur in tiny cages until they are executed with unspeakable barbarity.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 08
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 08) I had become so engrossed in my thoughts and in watching and taking pictures of the youngsters, that I failed to see their mother watching me and coming quite close.  It wasn't until she spoke out with a single bark to attract my attention that I saw her standing before me.  She wanted me to know that even though we were neighbors, she was there to protect her children.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 08b
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 08b) Is the face of this fox any different than that of our "pet" cat or dog?  Isn't she just as "cute" looking?  Can you feel her soul and spirit as I did while watching her and her children?  If the answer to even one of these questions is, "yes", then it's time to stop our exploitation of fox and other animals for sport, food and fur.   It's time for us to start eating the vegetarian diet that God intended for us.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 09
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 09) The other day, Mary heard the foxes making all kinds of "fighting" noises from within their home, and being afraid that they might hurt one another, she spoke forth in her motherly voice: "Stop that!"  And, they did!
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 10
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 10) This little one is very intent on watching the activity in the woods behind their home from his or her rooftop.  It's all a part of enjoying life as God intended.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 11
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 11) A little later, Mom came running up near me again and gave me a bark and then ran back up to the top of her home where we just watched each other.  What a horrible sin it is to desire to hunt these living souls!  God gave us the animals as our companions (Genesis 2:18) and not for our sport, food, or clothing.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 12
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 12) Peter wrote: Thanks, Frank, for reminding us of the beautiful creation that has been provided for us.   We forget so easily how we participate in this sin of destroying this creation. In His beautiful creation and in His agape [love], Peter
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 13
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 13) Pat Zimmer wrote: Thanks for the beautiful photos of the fox family.  It is such a wonderful thing to see animals enjoying life as God intended. Many animals that have close contact with humans on a regular basis seem to be able to understand our language, but we don't seem to be able to understand theirs as well as they do ours...I just pray that through education more and more people will begin to look at animals differently and have respect for their rights to live the lives that God has given them, as God intended for them to live. Pat
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 14
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 14) The Foxes have five children (kits), but previous to this picture, we were never able to photograph more than three of them together; thus we have included this photo, with its less than perfect quality, of four of them in this series.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 15
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 15) We believe that all five Fox children may be in this photo: the kit facing front, the one on the left, the rear of the one just to the right with its head to the rear of the photo, another head to the rear (at least the ear with a portion of his/her body visible through the center of the pack), and the one in the middle with its head down and its tail sticking out to the right.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 17
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 17) Shirley McGreal [email protected] wrote: What wonderful neighbors you have and how great they would let you get close enough to take such terrific photos...Anyway, I wanted to tell you what pleasure the fox family photos gave me. Shirley
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 18
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 18) Connie Young wrote: Thank you so very much for the fox journal. You are so fortunate to have such beautiful neighbors. Saturday a friend from the city came up to spend the day with me. Our day was "made" by the chance sighting of a gorgeous fox who ran right in front of my car, pausing to catch a glimpse of us. My friend, who is British, said that this was the first fox she had ever seen. It was a moment to remember. I wish she could have seen your pictures too. Love and Peace for all beings. Connie
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 19
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 19) Enjoying the morning sunshine. - Referring back to our comment on Mom looking much like our cats and dogs, Lori wrote: Yes, yes, and yes!  She reminds me of my black-beauty kitty, Midnight.   She triggered respect & awareness in me for motherhood [parenthood] when raising her little brood; my reverence deepened, as did my appreciation, & though humanly limited, an clearer understanding of our Holy Father.  I will always remember the trust in my companion's eyes.  How separate we live, inharmoniously apart from God's animals and nature, God Himself.  That trust is vital & it saddens my being not seeing it in the creatures who fear us when in Eden they had no reason to fear anyone, anything.  In every blessed creature, especially a maternal animal, I may witness the perfection, love, patience, protection, & power of our Lord.  Thank you Mary & Frank.  Thank you Foxes family. In our Lamb, Lori
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 20
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 20) Another morning of exploration.  Mary from www.nuzzled.net wrote:  My Goodness!!  They are BEAUTIFUL!!!  I can almost feel myself being there.  The mother fox picture is simply wonderful!!!!!!  So hard to believe people commit such cruel acts against them.  THANK YOU for sharing those pictures with us...
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 25
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 25) This photo gives some indication of how fast these little foxes are.   Just as I clicked the photo of the two on the left, a third one jumped onto the roof of their home, startling the others.  Note that the rest of the photo is in focus.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 26
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 26) This was the last of the photos we were able to take before our neighbors the foxes moved away.  Mom didn't come back the following year, but we saw her on another road, and we stopped and looked at each other with remembrance of when we were neighbor.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 27
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 27)  We're not the only ones who have foxes for neighbors.  On 27 November 2004 Kathleen Selman sent us an email about this series: "Fab photos!  We once had the honor of having a pet fox for six months. Then she went of her own free will to the wild.  Wonderful foxes; and we have wonderful memories. All animals are so serene, peaceful, and beautiful. Regards, and God save the animals. We will try to do so to." Then on 7 Feb 2005 she sent us the photo: " The picture shows our little friend with one of my sons as they share their meal.  Probably the most wonderful experience in our lives, especially for our children, to have met a wild creature as a friend." - This is just another example of God's Peaceable Kingdom, where neither human nor animal will do any harm to one another ever again (Isaiah 11:6-9); and it fills us with hope.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 28
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 28)  This photo and the next 4 were submitted by David C. Dillard, who write (in part): These photos were taken at night with a digital camera. It was in Duck, NC in the Outer Banks. I was smoking a cigar outside and thought is was a big cat at first. I called to it and it came closer. I went in our timeshare cottage and got some food to throw to it. It seemed very tame but in the one with the red eyes it was less than a yard away so I ran back in the cottage almost knocking my wife over to get my camera. This place has cut all the hedges down where cats would hid. We feed the cats each year during our week, since we couldn't bring our dogs or birds with us. I was amazed at seeing this grey fox so close and in an area with not much woods. I am from the country and have raised raccoon and many other wild animals but never saw a fox. So beautiful. I didn't tell anyone we saw it fearing they would try to trap it.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 29
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 29)  This is another grey fox photo submitted by David C. Dillard.  The photo was taken at night with a digital camera in Duck, NC.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 30
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 30)  This is another grey fox photo submitted by David C. Dillard.  The photo was taken at night with a digital camera in Duck, NC.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 31
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 31)  This is another grey fox photo submitted by David C. Dillard.  The photo was taken at night with a digital camera in Duck, NC.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 32
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 32)  This is another grey fox photo submitted by David C. Dillard.  The photo was taken at night with a digital camera in Duck, NC.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 33
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 33)  This and the following photos of Our Neighbors: The Foxes were sent to us by Jeff Nielsen, who wrote: I discovered I had a fox den in my front yard in Flagstaff, AZ, and was able to get these photos. I thought they might be of interest to you. Let me know as I have many more.  At one time, the little guys got up on my front porch and came within inches of me. Of course I did not reach out to touch them. They like playing in a stack of tree branches on the upper portion of the yard which is next to their den. The den is in the rocks which are positioned on a slope that goes to the lower section of the yard.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 34
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 34) This is another photos of Our Neighbors: The Foxes sent to us by Jeff Nielsen of Flagstaff, AZ, with our thanks.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 35
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 35) This is another photos of Our Neighbors: The Foxes sent to us by Jeff Nielsen of Flagstaff, AZ, with our thanks.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 36
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 36) This is another photos of Our Neighbors: The Foxes sent to us by Jeff Nielsen of Flagstaff, AZ, with our thanks.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 37
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 37) This is another photos of Our Neighbors: The Foxes sent to us by Jeff Nielsen of Flagstaff, AZ, with our thanks.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 38
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 38) This is another photos of Our Neighbors: The Foxes sent to us by Jeff Nielsen of Flagstaff, AZ, with our thanks.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 39
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 39) This is another photos of Our Neighbors: The Foxes sent to us by Jeff Nielsen of Flagstaff, AZ, with our thanks.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 40
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 40) This is another photos of Our Neighbors: The Foxes sent to us by Jeff Nielsen of Flagstaff, AZ, with our thanks.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 41
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 41) This is another photos of Our Neighbors: The Foxes sent to us by Jeff Nielsen of Flagstaff, AZ, with our thanks.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 42
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 42) This is another photos of Our Neighbors: The Foxes sent to us by Jeff Nielsen of Flagstaff, AZ, with our thanks.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 43
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 43) This is another photos of Our Neighbors: The Foxes sent to us by Jeff Nielsen of Flagstaff, AZ, with our thanks.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 44
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 44) This is another photos of Our Neighbors: The Foxes sent to us by Jeff Nielsen of Flagstaff, AZ, with our thanks.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 45
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 45) This is another photos of Our Neighbors: The Foxes sent to us by Jeff Nielsen of Flagstaff, AZ, with our thanks.
Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 46
(Our Neighbors The Foxes - Grey or Gray Fox (Urcyon cinereoargenteus) - 46)  This photo and comment was sent to us by Annie Wilczak http://www.geocities.com/wbyrehab/:  Thought you might be interested in a three-legged fox. I am a NYS wildlife rehabber; RVS (rabies Vector Specie) amended. A few years back fostered a HBC young gray fox.. severally fractured foreleg. Pin placement did not take so we opted to try total amputation of the limb. The fox rebounded well, six weeks of physical therapy, learned to climb and hunt extremely well and was released on my private sanctuary. I still receive reports back to this day of that amazing, gorgeous gray fox spotted trit-trotting through the woods. A second chance was definitely in the cards for this fellow. Proud to have been a part of his rehab and release. One of those very happy endings we savor so much.

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