For the past couple of years, Andrea Uppington has been sharing her garden property in the UK with a wild neighbor — a local fox, who drops by from time to time.
Naturally, he’s a little skittish, but Uppington still enjoys knowing he’s around.
“He still makes his presence known,” Uppington told The Dodo. “He digs up compost heaps, sleeps in the flower beds and in the sunshine, and buries eggs in the flower borders.”
Uppington has made no efforts to befriend the fox, but there’s clearly an air of hospitality around her place regardless.
One evening, last year, Uppington arrived home from a night out with friends only to discover a heartwarming scene on her back patio.
Flipping on the light, she saw this:
Turns out, after a long day of exploring, the fox had settled in on Uppington’s outdoor sofa for what appeared to be some much-needed rest.
“I was surprised he didn’t move when the light was put on,” Uppington said. “He just looked very peaceful and in a deep sleep. I was very happy to see him so relaxed. I left him to sleep and turned the patio light off.”
Uppington was careful not to disturb the fox’s slumber as he remained sprawled out on the sofa’s plush cushions.
By morning, when Uppington awoke and checked the spot, she noticed that he’d already left to start his day.
Uppington believes that the fox still occasionally makes use of her outdoor sofa from time to time, the presence of paw prints being a giveaway. And she couldn’t be happier to accommodate him.
“I enjoy wildlife in the garden,” Uppington said. “He is a joy to observe.”
