At Animal Sanctuary, An Abandoned Baby Fox Bonds With Two Young Orphaned Badgers

Phoebe the fox cub was discovered in a box near Leeds, while two baby badgers were discovered along the roadside. A growing bond between Phoebe, an abandoned young fox cub, and two orphaned badgers has stunned animal enthusiasts when a Whitby animal refuge brought the odd new family together. Staff were perplexed when they were given a little two-month-old fox cub to care for, but they had no other foxes to place her with.

The shelter did not want Phoebe to rely on people for food and care, so they devised a creative plan to see if she could build a connection with two orphaned badgers. Phoebe the fox was discovered alone and terrified in a cardboard box in Leeds, while two little badger pups were discovered walking in the street in Meltham, West Yorkshire, not far away. Phoebe’s family was never found, but an adult badger thought to be Betty and Bella’s mother was discovered dead in a nearby road.

The teeny-tiny fox and badgers were transferred individually to Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary in North Yorkshire, where workers decided to group them all together. In the wild, badgers and foxes avoid each other, but the trio of two-month-old cubs has found comfort in each other’s companionship.

‘But these three were wild animals without their moms, all of a similar size, and we figured we could put them together if we kept an eye on them.’ We’ve been ecstatic to see how well they’ve bonded; it’s been wonderful to witness them nursing, sleeping, and even playing together.’