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<br /> <br />Gem Lake News Page 3 of 6 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />She wears dog tags, gets an annual <br />rabies shot, enjoys her daily walks on <br />the leash with her owner, and even <br />sits on command. Yet Ivy is several <br />times removed from the canine family. <br />Instead, she is the only pet fox <br />currently living in Gem Lake. <br /> <br />Ivy is an Arctic fox, rather than a red <br />fox, which lives in the wild in Gem <br />Lake. She formerly belonged to a <br />young lady who could no longer take <br />care of this unusual animal. <br /> <br />Though Lorry Shirley, who lives on <br />Goose Lake Road, had no intention of <br />becoming the owner of an arctic fox, <br />she knew the little animal’s fate was <br />in the balance. Very few people run to <br />the animal shelter to adopt a pet fox. <br />Ivy is a beautiful, smart creature and <br />Lorry decided to make her part of the <br />family. <br /> <br />Ivy is now a year and a half old and <br />lives in an outdoor pen on the <br />Shirley’s property. She eats regular <br />dog food and gets roughly the same <br />kind of medical care that a dog would <br />get from the local vet. <br /> <br />Lorry enjoys walking her around her <br />lot, sometimes three times a day. The <br />animal loves exploring and once <br />visited the red fox den next door. <br /> <br />This socializing with the local fox <br />population by Ivy has led to a few <br />return visits. “There has been a red <br />fox sniffing around Ivy’s pen,” <br />according to Lorry. “They are <br />definitely aware of each other’s <br />existence.” <br /> <br />Lorry came into contact with this <br />beautiful animal through the previous <br />owner, who is a friend of Lorry’s <br />daughter. Ivy originally came from the <br />Wild Side Exotic Breeding Company <br />in Ely, Minnesota. <br /> <br />She was raised by humans and had <br />no parents to teach her coping skills <br />for a life in the woods. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! No, it’s Ivy the Arctic Fox! <br /> <br /> In the wild, an Arctic fox lives about <br />five years. In a more domesticated <br />environment, the fox could potential <br />live much longer. “She faces fewer <br />threats than she would if she lived in <br />the woods or in the Arctic,” says Lorry. <br /> <br />Also, here in Minnesota, her colorings <br />would make her a target in the wild. <br />This is another reason Lorry wanted to <br />adopt her. Unlike the red fox, Ivy does <br />not blend in with her surroundings. As <br />an Arctic fox living in her natural <br />setting she would be virtually invisible. <br />“We have heard that she can tolerate <br />temperatures in excess of 100 <br />degrees below zero.” <br /> <br />Getting to know Ivy has been a lot of <br />fun for the Shirley family. “My <br />husband, Bruce, built her a nice home, <br />complete with a little sleeping <br />hammock. She is used to people now, <br />although she definitely likes women <br />more than men.” <br /> <br />The Shirley had a chip put in her by <br />the local vet, in case she ever gets <br />lost. The Shirleys love animals and <br />currently have several dogs, too. No <br />word on how well their little dogs get <br />along with Ivy. <br /> <br />“I never pictured myself owning a fox, <br />but I am so glad I adopted her,” says <br />Lorry. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />