A UK woman has become somewhat of an online sensation thanks to the family of adorable foxes that has been showing up on her doorstep every day for the last 25 years for treats.
Sharon Hughes has been welcoming foxes on her porch in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, for the last quarter of a century, but thanks to social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram she can now share the daily feeding ritual with the rest of the world.
One of the woman’s clips, where she throws the furry rascals treats like sausage rolls for breakfast, recently got so much attention that UK media contacted her to get the full story. Apparently, it all started 25 years ago, when a couple of foxes showed up in her garden.
She threw them something to eat, and they came back for more the next day. Sharon says she is now on the fourth generation of foxes, eight curious and hungry critters who visit her every day except for two months during mating season.
“We are now on the fourth generation of foxes. I remember feeding their great-grandparents,” Sharon Hughes told The Mirror. “I began posting videos of the foxes being fed a few years ago and I now get messages from all over the world.”
Sausages and sausage rolls appear to be the foxes’ favorite breakfast treats, but Sharon says they’ll eat just about any food they have left over, from pizza and Chinese takeaway to cooked eggs. “No food goes in the bin when they are about, that’s for sure,” the 56-year-old woman added.
Apparently, the foxes set up their den in a forest near Hughes’ house and they turn up on her porch as soon as she calls to them. Sharon has become so familiar with each and every one of her furry friends that she recognizes them instantly and even has names for them based on their physical traits and habits.
“Twisty got his name because his head is cocked on one side. However, he has been assessed by a vet by video and is okay. He thinks it is probably genetic,” Sharon said. “Charles got his name after he appeared for the first time on the day of the coronation.”
Apart from offering them treats on a daily basis, Sharon Hughes also looks after the foxes’ medical needs. She always observes the animals carefully and puts special painkillers and meds in the treats after consulting a local veterinarian. In turn, the foxes show their gratitude by bringing Sharon gifts every now and then.
“The foxes are very friendly and often bring us gifts like mice, which they leave on the doorstep,” Hughes said.
To watch more of Sharon feeding her adorable furry friends, check out her Instagram and TikTok. The English woman has about 100,000 followers on each platform, but reactions to her posts aren’t always positive. There are those who criticize her for feeding wild animals, which most animal experts will agree is not ideal.