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Our Mission​​
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Our two-part rescue mission at Arctic Fox Daily:
1. Provide forever sanctuary to captive-bred unwanted, neglected, abandoned, non-releasable wildlife, specializing in foxes and wolfdogs.
2. Practice wildlife rehabilitation: We rescue, raise, and release orphaned, New York-native wildlife, focusing primarily on predator-type mammals. Our ultimate goal is to give each intake the opportunity to return to the wild and take its rightful place back in nature.
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Letter from the Founder: Our Story
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Hi everyone, I’m Kimberly, the President and Founder of Arctic Fox Daily Wildlife Rescue. My family and I live in Western New York, where I run our home-based rescue and sanctuary.
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I began volunteering with rescued wildlife as a child, and by 16, I discovered that I was old enough to begin the process of becoming a licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator in New York State. In 2011, at just 17 years old, I officially had that license in my hand. At that age, my favorite - and really my only - hobby was rescuing wild animals. By 18, I had taken in my first captive-bred Arctic fox, Toto, whose arrival required me to obtain a USDA license so I could legally provide lifelong sanctuary for him and for future displaced, non-releasable exotic animals. For nearly a decade, I operated independently under my personal federal and state licenses, caring for and providing sanctuary to animals in need.
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A year or two before Arctic Fox Daily officially existed, I created an Instagram account as a small, personal space to share photos of my rescues. I remember thinking, “Maybe random people on the internet would enjoy looking at cute fox pictures. @arcticfoxdaily sounds kind of like a fox-themed newspaper - I suppose that’ll work as a handle.”
To my surprise, that page grew - almost effortlessly - into a community of several thousand supporters whose kindness and generosity truly blew me away. For the first time, I was receiving real donations. I still remember being in tears the year I realized the total had reached four digits - about $1,000 in monetary gifts. Until then, I had been funding everything entirely out of pocket, aside from the occasional twenty-dollar bill handed to me with a wildlife intake that was dropped off (which always made me ecstatic, since I didn't require or expect any form of donation for wildlife drop-offs).
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That milestone, and the encouragement from the growing community behind it, ultimately inspired me to formalize my work and create something that could grow far beyond what I could have accomplished alone. So in 2020, I knew it was time to take the legal leap: I officially incorporated a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and Arctic Fox Daily Wildlife Rescue, Inc. was born.
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All of our non-releasable residents were either born in captivity through the exotic pet trade, discarded from fur farms, or have permanent conditions that prevent them from surviving in the wild. We’re passionate about sharing their stories, educating the public about the realities of exotic pet ownership (because yes - foxes really don’t make good pets), and furthering conservation awareness through education.
Rescue work is time-consuming, often emotional, and sometimes heartbreaking - but it’s also deeply rewarding. The joy of opening an enclosure door to release a healed wild animal back into nature, or providing lifelong sanctuary to one whose only option for life was to remain in human care, is something words can’t quite describe.
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We are responsible for all costs associated with our rescue efforts and receive no government funding. If a project or expense isn’t fully covered by donations, it’d be paid for out of my family’s pocket. Being a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization allows us to expand our mission and gives individuals, families, and businesses the opportunity to make tax-deductible contributions that directly support rescue, rehabilitation, and sanctuary care. Support can come in many forms - from grants and sponsorships to wish list purchases and financial gifts. To learn more about how you can show support, please visit our Contribute page. Every donation, wish list purchase, merchandise purchase, and social media share helps us continue creating hopeful tomorrows - one rescue at a time.
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Thank you for your support!
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With gratitude,
Kimberly DeFisher
Founder & President, Arctic Fox Daily Wildlife Rescue, Inc.
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