Happy ending for Ada the people loving Asda fox

Ada, would frequently approach shoppers begging for food and even trying to climb up their legs.

But while she was popular with many there were concerns that her total lack of fear of humans could lead to her being harmed. On one occasion a vehicle as deliberately driven at her.

A spokesperson for animal rescue group Wildlife matters explained: “We have had more messages about Ada than any other animal and Ada has been, probably, our biggest dilemma. "When we were first told about her, approaching people in the car park, looking for food, unafraid of people, we initially suspected Toxoplasmosis which, among other things, like a head impact, can cause foxes to be over tame. “We caught her and took her to Mallydams RSPCA centre, at Hastings, where she was observed and assessed. Having no signs of illness, she was released in another area but made her way back to Asda and the messages started again. “And then the dilemma started, although Ada appeared well and was clearly being fed, she was in the wrong place. She had no fear of humans and didn’t know that not all humans are kind, she also had no traffic sense and concerns about her being run over or harmed in some way increased. “Although we replied to messages explaining the situation, explaining that we couldn’t just relocate healthy wildlife, we were worried, and those worries only increased as the weather started to get colder and Ada became increasingly emboldened. She was healthy and in some ways she was ‘looked after’ but she was at risk, as the messages increased, so did our concerns. Last week we were contacted by the brilliant Fox Angels Foundation, one of Ada’s ‘followers’ had rung them. Fox Angels called Ray, our Chair.

"At first we were told that everywhere they looked was full but Ada, against the odds, was found a place and a rescue was planned for November 5. “But early morning on November 4 we received another message that Ada was snapping at people’s ankles, trying to climb up people’s legs, looking for food. “Emergency calls were made, rescuers contacted, and an emergency three point plan put in place. “We would capture Ada and Chris, from Fox-Fella Wildlife-Rescue, all the way from Colchester, would meet our rescuer with Ada and would take her to her new home. “Rescuer Marie set off immediately but Ada had other ideas, five hours later she had still not appeared and, when she did, she was flighty and resisting capture. “Rescuer Jo went to look at Ada’s routes, to plan capture the next day, and there she was, being fed raw chicken wings by a couple and, in a moment of distraction, she was contained. “Another flurry of phone calls, plans for transport put into action 24 hours early and Ada was driven by Gerry to a M25 services to meet Chris. “Chris drove Ada home, to rest overnight and halve the stress of transport, once there he found her to be totally ‘dog like’, he had never seen such a tame fox. She got on his lap and licked his face. She played with the dog toys like a puppy and when Chris’s wife entered the room Ada wagged her tail and made excited noises like a dog. “The next day Ada set off to her new home. A place of safety. More than that, a place where she will be happy and thrive. A place where a balance has been found between what she should be and what she is. A wildlife vet was there on arrival to give her a full examination. “We will never know Ada’s full story but it is believed that she was picked up by a human and raised as a pet but then, when she became a grown fox, released to fend for herself. “We always say “wildlife belongs in the wild” but Ada, although born to be wild, was never allowed to be wild, the harm was done when she was taken in and that can never be put right. Ada has no wild instincts. “Ada will now have the chance of a long life, maybe 12-14 years as opposed to 12-18 months as an urban fox, she will be loved and cared for and, the animal she has become will be happy. She won’t know what she has lost because she has never known it, and, in that sense, there is no loss. “There are an enormous number of people to thank, our amazing, intrepid rescuers, putting their own lives on hold, on the ground and remotely co-ordinating; the staff and security at Asda, keeping us informed; all the people who messaged in their concerns so keeping us up to date; Fox Angels for finding her a place, Chris for transporting her, and all of you who support us and make rescues like this possible. “Removing Ada from an area was a dilemma, rescuing her from harm was not.”