Orange Ball Found in the Dirt Turns Out to Be a Sick Fox
Imagine walking through your yard and coming across a strange orange ball. Only when you lean closer to get a better look do you realize that the ball is actually breathing. That’s how an amazing rescue story unfolded for the employees at Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center.
The group shared the details on how they managed to save a sick fox with the help of the local community on Facebook, posting several updates about the young kit. According to an Aug. 25, 2026 post, locals had spotted a young fox in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. The kit appeared to be suffering from mange and was frequently spotted along the roadway during the day.
According to the posts, the rehabilitation center was informed about the fox’s condition, and they headed to where it was last spotted to see if they could catch it. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to locate the sick baby, so they worked with neighbors in the area to put out humane traps to try and find her.
However, the kit never made it into the traps. Instead, they were alerted that the kit had been found after a homeowner stumbled across her in the dirt, weak but still alive.
The Mom and a Littermate Were Also Believed to Be Sick
The Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center was able to review some footage of the fox after she was spotted, which led them to believe they were dealing with more than one animal. “After reviewing photos and videos, I’m fairly confident there are two surviving kits and one adult that are in pretty bad condition,” the post explained, naming mange as the possible issue.
According to WebMD, mange is caused by a parasitic mite, and it’s fairly common. It can affect many different types of mammals, but foxes, squirrels, and coyotes seem most vulnerable. While the mite itself isn’t usually fatal, it can lead to other conditions and complications that are, like bacterial skin infections.
These infections can cause the foxes to become blind, which can be a death sentence in the wild. Fortunately, WebMD says most animals will make a full recovery with treatment, which is part of the reason the rehabilitation center was so eager to find the animals and rescue them.
A Homeowner Found the Fox in Their Yard
The traps may not have worked, but it sounds like luck was on this little girl’s side, since a kind and caring homeowner is the one who eventually located her. The little girl was officially named Princess after the rehabilitation center was able to confirm her sex, according to an Aug. 27, 2026 update on Facebook.
“[She] is extremely weak and debilitated. [Her] body has been fighting for far too long, and right now our biggest fear is that we may have gotten to [her] too late,” part of the update read.
Then, just a few days later, the rehabilitation center shared a happy update: “Princess goes home.” According to the Facebook page, she was finally well enough to be released back into the wild. The comments were full of people celebrating her release, including a few who had questions about what would become of her now that her hair had fallen out, especially with temperatures about to drop in Pennsylvania.
“Her new coat is already coming in,” the rehabilitation center commented on the question. “I have no doubt it will be grown in by the end of October. I also have someone monitoring her.”
That all sounds like great news for Princess! Hopefully they are eventually able to locate the two other foxes they believe they spotted so that those two can also get a happy ending.
