Colorado Parks & Wildlife euthanized a wild fox after a Colorado Springs woman "kidnapped" and forced it to be her pet for almost two years.

Colorado Parks & Wildlife removed the red fox from a Colorado Springs residents home last week. After capturing the animal, the woman had raised it on human food, kept it on a leash and even made an Instagram account for the wild animal according to a press release from Colorado Parks & Wildlife.

But Frank McGee, CPW’s Area Wildlife Manager for the Pikes Peak region, called taking an animal “kidnapping.” He went on to say this in the press release:

Wild animals belong in the wild. Period. People cannot take care of wildlife better than their parents. It is selfish and irresponsible to take these animals from the wild. It takes specialized education and training to handle wild animals, whether it’s deer, raccoons, birds or whatever. People often think they are helping when they pick up wildlife. They are not. These are wild animals. They are not meant to live in captivity.

Unfortunately, Colorado Parks & Wildlife quickly realized the animal would not survive in the wild and they were forced to euthanize it.

As always, Colorado Parks and Wildlife are reminding residents and visitors alike to LEAVE WILD ANIMALS ALONE. It is a crime to possess wild animals in Colorado. Illegal possession of live wildlife is a misdemeanor punished by a $100 fine.


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