We are very happy to have been able to remove silver foxes Mazy and Yzma from harsh conditions this week. On the initiative of House of Animals, drag hunting club De Veluwe Hunt could be convinced to relinquish the two foxes to AAP. The animals were eventually handed over to us voluntarily.
The only reason Yzma and Mazy were kept was to collect their urine and faeces. The drag hunting club used that to set out scent trails for their pack of dogs. During hunts, these dogs are followed on horseback through natural and outdoor areas while looking for the ‘prey’.
Since the positive list went into effect on 1 July 2024, keeping silver foxes as pets or hobby animals has been banned in the Netherlands. However, the hunting association was allowed to keep Yzma and Mazy because they were born before that date. However, this week the association agreed to relinquish the animals and promised that the foxes would not be replaced by new animals.
Doubts about welfare of the foxes
House of Animals tracked down the two silver foxes. Karin Soeters of House of Animals reacted with shock at the situation the animals found themselves in: “The conditions these animals had to live in were truly horrific. I couldn’t get the images off my mind and from that moment on we agreed with our team: those foxes have to get out of there as soon as possible.” House of Animals reported the incident to the police and went all out to rescue the foxes as soon as possible. That took some effort, but fortunately an agreement was reached with the slip hunting club and we were able to collect Yzma and Mazy safely.
The foxes, both about two years old, have since been housed at AAP’s shelter in Almere. During their quarantine period, we will investigate how they are doing. They will then be outplaced to a suitable location where they can lead an animal-worthy existence.
Silver foxes and the fur industry
Silver foxes are not a separate species, but a colour mutation of the native red fox. They are mainly bred for the fur industry, especially in China, Finland and other countries in north-eastern Europe. In the Netherlands, keeping silver foxes for fur has been banned since 2008, and since 1 July 2024 they are no longer allowed to be kept as pets or hobby animals. AAP continues to push for stricter legislation and better protection for animals like Yzma and Mazy.
