Wildlife sanctuary loses one of its own

Volunteers and friends of the Hope for Wildlife Society are saddened by the passing of
Sweet Pea the red fox.
Sweet Pea came to the Hope for Wildlife Society in 2001 after being orphaned and attacked by a dog. She was very malnourished and the attack left her with permanent injuries. In order to save her, one of her legs had to be amputated.
"Usually, if an animal cannot be returned to the wild, we would humanely euthanize it because most animals are very uncomfortable and stressed in captivity", said Allison DubÉ, Coordinator for the Hope for Wildlife Society. However, Sweet Pea's friendly demeanor and the fact that she was already accustomed to people made her a good candidate for
the Society's education mission. The decision was made to keep her.
Sweet Pea was one of the best-known education ambassadors for the Society. "People who had never visited the centre before knew who Sweet Pea was", said DubÉ. "They knew her from a picture, or had just heard about her somehow. She touched so many people with her story."
As an education animal, Sweet Pea taught visitors to the Society about the dangers a wild animal faces when it loses its fear of humans. Sweet Pea was also a foster mom for injured and orphaned fox kits that have been admitted to the centre over the years. She also provided a unique opportunity for the Volunteers at the Hope for Wildlife Society to form
a special bond with a wild creature. "We're so careful to avoid getting too close to our patients - we want them to stay wild" said Hope Swinimer, founder of the Hope for Wildlife Society. "Sweet Pea gave us that chance to really get to know her. The centre just won't be the same without her".
Sweet Pea passed away yesterday at her home. She was 9 years old. She lived a full life for a fox, especially with her underlying medical conditions.