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Kenmore woman accused of trying to sell arctic fox pup online

Posted at 10:05 AM, Aug 17, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-17 18:24:47-04

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation says it caught a Kenmore woman trying to sell a fox pup on Craigslist for $800.

The DEC says one of its Environmental Conservation Officers received a tip call about the Craigslist ad.The ad described the pup as an eight-week-old female blue arctic fox. The officer coordinated with a wildlife rehabilitation sanctuary for foxes and met with the woman who posted the ad. They seized the fox and ticketed the woman for offering a wild animal for sale as a pet. The woman faces a fine of up to $250.

The officer says the woman who posted the ad had purchased the fox pup in Michigan and brought it to New York. It is illegal to own or sell a wild animal as a pet in New York. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has also been contacted to follow up on the initial sale of the pup in Michigan. The agent will look into whether the sale violates the Lacey Act, which establishes regulations for selling and transporting wild animals across state lines.

According to wildlife expert Jeff Musial foxes make for terrible pets. 

"Foxes are some of the worst animals ever you could have for pets," Musial said, "If you want a canine go with a dog because (with) foxes, you can't train them to go outside. You let them go outside to do their business and they'll run away." 

To properly own an arctic fox a series of permits at both the State and Federal level would need to be completed, in addition to a health certificate from a veterinarian. 

The fox pup is being cared for by the wildlife rehabilitation sanctuary while this case moves through the legal system.