Woman Has Fed a Family of Foxes Every Morning for 25 Years

Woman Has Fed Generations of One Fox Family Every Day for the Last 25 Years

By Regina Sienra on July 10, 2023

A fox and his family stand on a wooden porch looking cute and waiting to be fed

Photo: Screenshot from Instagram

Foxes are best known for their beautiful red fur and adorable faces; but now, they've also gained fame for their appetite. A woman named Sharon Hughes has been feeding a fox family that has shown up to her door in Scotland for the last 25 years. The animal lover captures their visits on video and shares them on social media. The resulting footage is a collection of foxes putting on their best puppy eyes as they ask for breakfast.

“We are now on the fourth generation of foxes. I remember feeding their great-grandparents,” she told the Sunday Mail. After she began posting videos of the foxes being fed, her inbox was flooded with messages from around the world. “I can’t believe my gang of foxes interests so many people. It is very humbling.”

Hughes usually feeds them sausage rolls. When she has leftovers, the foxes get to eat pizza, eggs, Chinese takeout, and chicken drumsticks. “No food goes in the bin when they are about, that’s for sure,” she says. The variety is likely welcome, as the foxes visit her home every day, except for the two months of mating season.

On top of feeding them, Hughes also takes care of their medical needs. She has veterinarians check on them via video and puts special painkillers in their food when she sees them limping or in pain. When she's gone, her neighbors are kind enough to feed them as well.

Her bond with the fox family is so deep that she can tell them apart and has names for them, like Twisty, Little Ted, Charles, and Dyson. “Twisty got his name because his head is cocked on one side,” Hughes shares. “However, he has been assessed by a vet by video and is okay. He thinks it is probably genetic. Charles got his name after he appeared for the first time on the day of the coronation.”

The best part? The love seems to go both ways. The critters look very thankful to have a safe space and a meal awaiting for them. “The foxes are very friendly and often bring us gifts like mice, which they leave on the doorstep,” Hughes said.

If you want to keep up with these creatures and their daily buffet visits, make sure to follow Hughes on Instagram and TikTok.