A woman has gone viral for taking in a sick fox and raising it as her own pet for four years.
Saffron Gloyne first met the wild animal, which she named Gavin, when he wandered into her back garden.
The 44-year-old noticed that he was injured and decided that she wanted to help him.
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But her simple act of kindness soon turned into caring for the fox full-time.
And her post about Gavin, which has been viewed more than 3.5 million times, has attracted hundreds of comments of support.
“Since having Gavin, I’ve learned so much about animals and have rescued hundreds,” Saffron, from Croydon, South London, told Need To Know.
“It was a long time ago, but he had a great impact on me.
“Being brought up in the concrete jungle as it were, I’d never really taken much notice of wildlife.
“I was in quite a brittle place in my personal life and into my garden wandered this injured, vulnerable animal and I just wanted to help him.”
When Saffron first met Gavin 13 years ago, she spotted that he had been shot.
Along with nursing him back to health, she also enlisted the help of a friend who built Gavin a small hut where he could live.
Soon other foxes, believed to be Gavin’s children, also made their way into her garden.
Sadly, after years of being looked after by Saffron, Gavin eventually suffered two more shot wounds and passed away.
“It began a journey for me where I created a wildlife haven in my garden,” Saffron told her 22,000 followers.
“I didn’t expect such an outpouring of love for Gavin, the fox that changed my life.
“I didn’t know it then, but he was the start of this incredible journey.
“I still think of Gav. He found the right person at the right time.”
Saffron has urged other users to treat foxes with kindness.
She said: “These are not vermin… they are beautiful, intelligent, curious creatures.
“They are wild and free, so they don’t belong to me. But my heart belongs to them.”
Her story sparked a flurry of praise online.
One person wrote: “You are a jewel of a human.”
Jen said: “Thank you for this post today. It may be the only positive thing that appeared on X for me today! This is amazing and you are amazing!”
“Horrible people shoot these animals. I have a couple I leave food for outside. But I have to sneak out at night and make sure neighbors do not see me. The kind of yuppies in my development get alarmed by squirrels. Gavin knew he had a safe place with you,” Meg added.
Paul commented: “So lucky to get all that unlimited happiness and love Saffron.”
“How blessed both you and Gavin were to have found each other, friendships come in many guises,” wrote Ceri.
