Love is in the air. Well, some might rather say love was forcefully polluted into the air by a myriad mixture of social media and consumer outlets ranging from national news networks and corporate conglomerates right down to one’s own Facebook wall and street vendors. Nevertheless, the world has slowly, but oh-so-inevitably, approached the day to show one’s appreciation for a significant other (or the person they hope will be their significant other). For those who the world has not blessed with the perfect paramour on this particular day, a wide range of emotion encompassing everything from self-deprecating humor to crippling loneliness and even outright hatred may be the only thing sweeping them off their feet on this holiday of love.

This author, however, will find neither the typical delight nor dejection this Valentine’s, for his heart has already been whisked away from him by a particularly crafty little vixen. That’s right, as in a fox.

What?

Now before you pick up that phone and make a quick, friendly little reminder to our respectable officers in the Berkeley Police Department that one of the crazies has escaped from prison again, I do not mean “that” kind of love. Rather, the kind of love at first sight that one experiences when they see something so incomprehensibly adorable that they cannot help but become enthralled. For me, that was one Anya Fedewa, America’s first successfully imported Russian domesticated fox.

Be careful! One of these fierce, wild animals might lick your fingers off.

A domesticated fox? That’s impossible. Everyone knows they are wild animals who cannot possibly be domesticated! And from Russia of all places? This has to be a sort of scam, the kind you might wake up to one morning in your email spam box: “TAME FOX FROM SECRET SOVIET EXPERIMENT FOR SALE! WE ONLY NEED YOUR CREDIT CARD, SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, AND IDENTIFICATION AND THIS PRETTY PREDATOR CAN BE YOURS TODAY KIND SIR!” Those too were this author’s initial thoughts after the shock of seeing images and videos of a particularly tame fox who acted in many ways much like a dog or his cat would. Surely it had to be some sort of a ruse? Yet, to his surprise, it turned out to be shockingly true.

It all began with a Soviet experiment begun in 1959 by Russian geneticist Dymitry Belyaev, who wished to study how wolves turned into dogs. He and his team believed that behavior was rooted in biology, that such behavior could cause physical changes which could help to explain why man’s best friend looks so markedly different from its wild forebears. They believed that if they could replicate the process of domestication in foxes, specifically by selecting against aggression and choosing only the tamest and friendliest foxes for reproduction, they could observe these changes in action. And, after only a few generations, they did! They observed notable physical changes in the foxes, such as shorter legs, different coat colors and patterns, and a marked decrease in adrenaline levels, but perhaps the most dramatic change of all was the shift in behavior towards humans. The foxes began to be less fearful of humans, and then eventually showed desire for affection towards humans. Their behavior, then, was not rooted in early socialization or training, but rather in their very DNA. In other words, they became genetically domesticated, in much the same manner as one’s cat or dog.

Clearly only meant for the experienced handler! Look at that ferocity!

The experiment continues today at the Russian Institute of Cytology and Genetics, located in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, after narrowly surviving the fall of the Soviet Union and the dearth of funding that followed the subsequent changes in the Russian research grant system. The Institute managed to do this by reducing the number of foxes in the experiment from over seven hundred foxes to just one hundred, and by beginning to sell the excess foxes as pets or, more tragically, to fur farms after a certain period of time. Thankfully, in recent years, the latter practice has begun to decline as more and more of these foxes have begun to be taken into homes across Europe and, with the successful importation of Anya to Michigan in 2012, America.

So, where does one get one of these lovable, cuddly predators, and what should one know about them before taking the plunge? Presently, there is only one authorized importer to the United States, USDA-licensed exotic animal importer Mitchel Kalmanson. The price of importing one of these foxes is steep, presently $8,900, of which $3,200 goes directly to the Institute. The animals are only sold neutered or spayed – sadly, you will not be able to replicate the experiment here in the United States. As for their temperament, they are almost a mixture between a dog and a cat – not quite as trainable or obedient as one’s typical dog, yet not as aloof or independent as most cats. They are extremely curious, playful, and intelligent animals who can be litter or house trained, can be taught to walk on a harness or a leash, and who socialize well with strangers and other animals. Medical care for such foxes tends to be not that much different from that of a dog, though one should certainly ensure they have a veterinarian willing to treat foxes in their area before even considering buying one of these striking creatures. Foxes are only legal as pets in some states as well, and while this may change in the future, one should make sure they are in compliance with the law for their own sake and the sake of their furry friend. Unfortunately for those of us residing in California, foxes are currently not legal to own as pets and the prospect of legalization, even for domesticated foxes, seems grim as the state is notorious for its strict, some would say draconian policies on even the most tame “exotic” animals, being one of only two states to ban the domesticated ferret.

Still, if one is willing to pay the high cost and do their research, a pet fox may be in their future. As for this author, though he may yearn for a vixen from Russia, it seems his faithful cat will claw back his heart again this year. He would further like to remind all of his dear readers that no matter where they find themselves this Valentine’s Day, whether it be at the highest heights of heaven or the deepest dungeons of hell, to take a moment of their day to remember the purest kind of the love, the warmth that only their pets and all animals can bring to their hearts.

For more on domestic foxes in general, check out these informative articles and videos:

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-10/fyi-domesticated-foxes

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/adopt-a-pet-fox-for-sciences-sake/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipSTntA_Znw

For more of Anya in particular, check out her owner Kay Fedewa’s YouTube Channel and Anya’s own Facebook page.

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