This vixen lives in her own one-bedroom flat complete with a three-piece suite, a TV and a radio for listening to her favourite station, Radio 2, and a lair made out of cardboard boxes and duvets.

Miss Snooks lucked out where she was a ten-day-old cub after meeting animal lover Steve Edgington.

The 56-year-old took in the fox and has looked after her at his home in Ditchling, East Sussex, ever since.

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Play time for the six-year-old fox in her flat provided by kind hearted animal lovers Steve and Nola Edgington

But pampered Miss Snooks spends her days relaxing in the flat above Mr Edgington's pet shop, while her owner works downstairs.

Mr Edgington even takes Miss Snooks for midnight walks on a lead when she can dig for mice.

'I had never really had a huge amount to do with foxes but I see it as fate,' he said.

'When you fall in love with something there is nothing you can do about it and she has changed my life forever since. She is a beautiful animal who is incredibly loyal.'

Miss Snooks spent the first 10 weeks of her life sleeping with Mr Edgington and his wife Nola's cats before she became domesticated and refused to be reintroduced into the wild.

In the early days Mr Edgington would let the fox go for walks on her own but she would always return home within a few hours, through the cat-flap.

Now fully grown, Miss Snooks spends most of her day relaxing on the sofa before tucking into her favourite food, chicken cooked in honey and dried cat food washed down with half a cup of coffee.


Domesticated: Miss Snooks enjoys a spot of television

Steve, who also has a dog and three cats, added: 'It got to the stage where it would have been cruel to put her back into the wild because she would have not survived for long.

'Foxes, particularly vixens, are very nervous animals and are conscious of other wildlife but she loves our other pets and they get on fine.

'Whenever I take her for walks we try to avoid other dogs as there could be confrontation - that is why I go out so late.

'I would not recommend it to anyone because owning a fox literally takes over your life.

'You cannot exactly ask a neighbour to look after her if you want to go on holiday so if you are not prepared to look after them 24/7 do not bother.'

Foxes are predominantly wild animals who generally live between two and three years but can survive for up to 10 years and are normally extremely wary of humans.

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Miss Snooks was taken in six years ago by animal lover Steve Edgington and his wife Nola

Scientists in Russia have been conducting tests for the last 50 years attempting to tame the silver fox and their research has revealed some become dog-like in their behaviour, putting their ears down and wagging their tails when happy.

The RSPCA still advises against keeping foxes as domestic animals.

A spokesperson said: 'Even the most experienced fox experts have failed to keep the animals successfully in captivity; adult foxes tend to become very destructive and difficult to keep.

'Because they have been in captivity the foxes are unable to fend for themselves and cannot be released back into the wild.'


source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk