April 17, 2025 • 18 mins
Maria chats with Pawsitive Beginnings founder Nicole Navarro. In existence for five years, Pawsitive Beginnings gives permanent homes to foxes rescued from the fur trade. (Many come from fur farms where they're deemed "inadequate")
Btw 100% of donations go to the foxes! pawsitivebeginnings.org
Btw 100% of donations go to the foxes! pawsitivebeginnings.org
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's Maria's MutS and Stuff. What a great idea on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Welcome to Maria's Mutts and Stuff.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
And with me is Nicole Navarro who has Positive Beginnings.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
So Nicole, thanks for taking some time out.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Let's talk about positive beginnings and exactly what it is.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Sure, So Positive Beginnings is a five oh one c
three nonprofit fox Thankstuary and we are located in Key Largo, Florida.
So all seven foxes that I have here were rescued
from the fur trade. A lot of people don't realize
(00:46):
that fur farming is still alive well and legal, yeah
here in the United States. Unfortunately, you know, it's still
a practice that I feel should not be practice in
the United State, especially in the United States right here
we are. Yeah, so all seven foxes I have were
(01:10):
deemed undesirable or unprofitable by the fur farmer. So basically
what that means is their fur wasn't good enough. Some
of the foxes I have or missing tail, which is something, yeah,
something that unfortunately happens. You know, these mothers are forced
to give birth in these insanely cruel and disgusting conditions,
(01:32):
and you know, they start to harm their young out
of stress over grooming. So a lot of the animals
I have here, you know, don't have tails. And while
it's adorable in a sense, you know, it's a stark
reminder of the cruelty that takes place sure on these
fur farms.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Sure, I mean, I'm just I'm fascinated by you and
your group, your organization because I never realized that that
such a thing existed.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
But it makes so much sense.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
And how now, how do you how are you aware
of the foxes that need to be rescued?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Do the farms get in touch with you?
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Or you get notified from people who are like on
the inside, Like how does that work?
Speaker 1 (02:16):
So there are a few organizations throughout the United States
who have developed working relationships with these fur farmers. Uh
So at times throughout the year, these organizations will reach
out and be like, hey, you know you've you've surrendered
animals stuff before, you know, when you were otherwise just
gonna murder them. Yeah, do you do you have any
(02:39):
you know that fall into that category? Now? So there
are other organizations that you know, can play nice with
fur farmers to get them to legally surrender them. So
none of these foxes were illegally taken. Right, No, no,
of course, yeah, but I just I just have to
make that clear because that does go on.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Sure and right, so is it okay to say Rifley
so but yeah, yeah, sure, No, I get it.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
I've never I've never got it. So I'm not going
to get in trouble. No, You're not right, passionate people
out there that you know, I think the general consensus is,
you know, out of all the agricultural industries operating globally,
fur farming is the one where people are generally like, ugh, yeah,
(03:26):
why because it's just for fashion. You know, these animals
are bred into existence just to be killed for luxury
fashion exactly.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
And I mean, honestly, it's not like it was years
and years and years ago where and I'm talking about
hundreds of years ago where people were hunters in order
to survive, and you know, they were living in the Arctic,
so it was so cold and they needed fur to
keep Like, that's not existent anymore. And now with so
many synthetic and you know, there's fake fur.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
If you really want to.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Look like you're you think that it looks fast to
wear a fur coat, get a fake one, like you
don't you know what I mean. You don't have to
wear a dead animal on you. It's awful.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
So yeah, no it yeah, it's it is just not
a good look.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
No it's not.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
No, it's not it's not a good look. So so
how did this all start for you?
Speaker 1 (04:15):
So it's a it's an interesting story. I live in
Key Largo, but back in twenty seventeen, I was living
down in Key West. So Key Largo was the first
first key here in the Florida Keys. Key West is
the last key. So I was living down there during
Hurricane Irma, which was a little bit alarming.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Yes, I remember that, yes, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
So during that time, I was actually working at the
Hemmingway Home.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Oh I love that place. Yes, I went there over
this summer. I love it there.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Yes, I loved working there. I loved living in Key West.
It's just such a town all of its own.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
So I was working at the Hemmingway Home and I
was one of the ten employees that stayed behind during
Irma to care for the cats in the museum after
we had rounded up all the cats. Yeah, it was intense,
I'll tell you, it was intense.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
I'm sure that's scary.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Y Yeah, yeah, yep, for sure. But after the storm
had passed, I reached out to our local jail. So
here's where the story gets fun. So down in Key
West we have Demonroe County Sheriff's Office main detention center,
so it's just a county jail, not a prison, but
(05:37):
on the jail grounds sit a USDA certified zoo, so
they have to classify it as a zoo because of
the variety of animals that lived there, and the general
public is allowed to visit twice a month. So after IRMA,
they had evacuated all the inmates, so the woman that
runs the farm had stayed behind to take care of
(05:58):
all the animals. Actually, she moved all the animals up
into the jail, so yeah, to protect them from the storm. Okay,
So I reached out to her to see if she
needed help and she said yes. So typically they don't
allow volunteers in a jail for obvious reasons, but since
the inmates were gone, I went and helped her clean up,
(06:20):
get everything back in order, and her and I just
became like the fastest friends ever.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Nice.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
So, in twenty eighteen, I had moved back to Key Largo.
I want to be a little closer to the mainland
in case of another natural disaster.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Sure, but I would.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Still go down there at least once a week to
hang out with the animals. And twenty eighteen, two foxes
were surrendered to Herky and I had never had up
close personal experience with foxes before. You know, I grew
up on a large horse farm in western Pennsylvania, so
you see fox, but you know, you don't interact with
the fox sure, So it was just really fascinating to
(07:02):
me to be so close to these little forest puppies
who during during that time, you know, they were you know,
they were scared, they were confused, they had just been
relocated from the private home they were living in. Now
they're in this brand new place. And honestly, at that
(07:22):
time in my life, I was kind of at a
crossroads too, like what am I going to do with
the rest of my life?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Right?
Speaker 1 (07:27):
So, uh, the universe I think, you know, placed us
both in a position where we could help each other.
You know, those animals got used to me coming to
see them every week. We formed a really special bond,
and then you know, one day I was like, I, well,
you know, I want to help more. I want to
help more of these animals. So I just dug and
(07:48):
started doing research, started reaching out to these other facilities
that had foxes, that had these fur farm connections, you know,
did the research on the licenses I would need, the
insurance that I need, the permits I need. And in
twenty twenty, right when COVID hit, I got the call
asking if I was ready to start helping to take
(08:09):
in for farm animals. Wow. So yeah, yeah, you know
it's cool, Yeah, very cool, very cool. You know, it's
like right place, right time. You know, you don't understand
why things are happening as they're happening, but looking back
you're like, oh, this all made sense. You know, everything
worked out exactly the way it was supposed to. So
(08:33):
in twenty twenty I took in four fur farm survivors
as I call them. Twenty twenty one I took in two,
twenty twenty two I took in one, twenty twenty three
I took in one. So right now there's seven. I
know the numbers I rattled off at up to eight. Unfortunately,
one of my females passed away last year suddenly and unexpected.
(08:57):
I'm sorry, which again, yeah, you know it's it's very
sad because likely as a direct result of poor genetics
from bad breeding and in breeding that shakes on these
fur farms. You know, they don't care about health. They
care about coat quality, fur quality, so and they're you know,
they're afforded no veterinary care. It's just it's all about looks.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Yeah, I mean, yeah, yeah, I mean fur farms kind
of sound exactly like puppy mills exactly, right.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Yeah, yeah, very few make it out alive from the
right exactly.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
That's the main difference.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
It's fascinating. Do you have a very fascinating story. And
I mean, obviously you're probably at this point now an
expert on foxes as well, Like, what's what is something
that you can share with my listeners about foxes that
maybe most people don't know. But since you're so close
and knowledgeable about them, is there anything that you know
(09:55):
we wouldn't really know unless you hung out with a
bunch of foxes.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Yeah. So I only claim to be an expert on
the experiences that I've had with my own I'm very
careful to use the word expert, But as far as
my personal experiences these animals, you know, I see online.
A lot of people are like, oh, they are a
combinations of cat and dog. I'm like, no, they're actually
a wild animal, right, yeah, they're They're neither. They're their
(10:24):
own individual species. You know, they're red fox, you know,
not not a dog nor a cat. You know. They
they can possess quality, of course, but at the at
the end of the day, they are their own unique
Uh yeah, they're their own unique beings, that's for sure.
(10:45):
And you know, they all have their own very individual personalities,
which is hysterical because not one of my foxes are
the same personality wise. You know, I say, it's like
a soap opera. You have the drama king, we have
the diva. We have a bad boy, you know, we
(11:08):
have the paranoid one that you know, thinks the sky
is falling at all times. We have the wise old man.
So it's just very comical. And I would say to
anyone listening that's ever seen a cute baby fox online,
they do not make good pets.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Yes, I was just gonna yes, I was just gonna
ask you about that, Like, obviously they don't make good pets,
and you know because so many times, well that's why
kids jump into at zoos or wherever were they like
wild animals and they think, oh, it's adorable.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
No, it's a wild animal. You're not supposed touch it. No,
you know, so yes, yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Say you know, although I share my life with them,
and I say that very intentionally. You know, I share
my life with them. They you know, they dictate a
lot of what goes on around here. You know, live
in my house, they have outdoor enclosed I don't think
of them as pets. I respect them for exactly what
(12:03):
they are, which is, at the end of the day,
wild animals. So a lot of people, you know, the
exotic pet trade is big in the United States as well,
and there are a lot of people that breed foxes
in their backyard and then just sell them to anyone
for five six hundred bucks. You know, you don't get
a manual. Yeah, but you know, foxes reach sexual maturity
(12:26):
between six and eight months of age. So when the
cute little yeah, when the cute little baby goes away
and they start acting like a fox, yeah, a lot
of people are like, well, time to get rid of it.
But you know, it's it's not as simple as dropping
off your unwanted dog at the shelter, which is a
whole other subject, but you know, it's it's just it's
(12:49):
just a big problem, you know, exotic pet ownerships in
the United States.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
Which we've seen in so many, so many Netflix documentaries
at this time.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Oh my gosh. Yeah, the latest one, chimp Crazy. Yes,
oh my gosh, I.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Was exactly what I was thinking of as you were
talking about it, that they are wild animals, and I
was just thinking about chimp crazy, where you're like, oh
my god, she's crazy, you.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Know, yeah, yeah, it's yeah, it can become a problem. Sure, no,
I got well, and you know, in some cases, you know,
for these larger exotics, it can become a deadly problem.
Oh sure, end of the day, like yeah, yeah, yes, yes,
another one.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
But so I was looking at your website, Positive Beginnings
dot org, and I see that the public can come
and take a tour, which I think is really cool.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Yeah. So it's something that I held off on doing
for a long time until I made sure, you know,
they were totally comfortable. I was totally comfortable, and yeah,
it's I only do it once a week on Saturdays,
you know, maximum of four people, no teeny tiny children,
right of course, and it's it's just it's all on
(14:02):
the foxes terms, you know. I share each fox's individual
stories on how they came to be here. I share information,
you know about the fur trade because again a lot
of people don't realize it. And then we go into
the foxes enclosures, and if the foxes choose to interact,
you know, great, and if they don't, no one is
forced to do anything here. You know, I don't place
(14:23):
expectations on these animals, but I would say, nine times
out of ten, I do have a select few foxes
that love attention.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
That's sweet. That's sweet.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
And for someone who's listening right now, say they can't
come visit you, I would assume you survive on donations.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Correct, Yeah, yeah, we rely heavily on donations from the
general public. You know, their their food is expensive. I
feed them a species appropriate diet. No kibb, no no
kibble is being handed out here. In their veterinary care,
(15:04):
even though they are canine very biologically similar to a dog,
there are still very distinct differences. So their vet care
is expensive as well. So yeah, we always, you know,
appreciate the support, whether it be monetary. We do have
an Amazon wish list, so people can send gifts to
(15:25):
the Foxes.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
That's great.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
A lot of people like doing that. And you know,
we're extremely involved in the community now, which is you know,
something that's sort of beautifully morphed into what it is.
We host the Florida Key's Children's Shelter here. We share
the stories of the Foxes overcoming their own hardships and
it really resonates with a lot of the kids that
(15:48):
are going through their own personal challenges. So yeah, we've
really integrated quite magically into the community here, and the
community has literally just wrapped their arms around us since
day one.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
So that's wonderful.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
Yeah, truly our own little oz down here.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
No, it definitely is. It definitely is.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
But that's wonderful that the community has embraced you and
and rightfully.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
So yeah, it's really amazing. We have great relationships with
local law enforcement, the local schools, you know, everyone is
everyone has turned into fox fans over the last time.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Oh it's very sweet. No, it's very sweet.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
I find you so unique and what you do so unique.
I think it's really cool. I mean it's really yeah,
it's very very cool. So where do you see where
do you see yourself like over the next you've been
around for five years doing this in the next five years,
obviously the ultimate wish would be that you know, fur
(16:49):
farms go away and close, right, That was like, yeah,
ultimate ultimate wish and dream, but other like, But for you,
where do you see yourself like continuing this, enlarging it,
getting more people, getting the word out.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
What do you see in the future.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
I mean, I'd love to be able to expand, to
be able to help more people, like with the trauma
informed care aspect of it. But something else I would
love to really work on and have local legislators, even
at the state level, taken interest in implementing a ban
on the sale of new for throughout the state of Florida. Sure,
(17:29):
a lot of other a lot of other cities across
the country have done it. California became the first state
to do it in twenty nineteen. So I think, you know,
getting to the point where legislation is being passed, uh
huh to sort of stamp this out at the at
the level where if you can't sell it, the demand
(17:50):
will start to decrease.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Of course, of course, yeah, I know that makes sense.
That's great.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Well, thank you so much, Nicole for explaining and talking
about Positive Beginnings, and for listeners who want to learn
more about it, you can go to positive beginnings dot
org and it's p A W S I T i
v E beginnings dot org. So, Nicole Navarro, thank you
so much for taking the time out, Thanks.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
For all you do.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
And I hope that you know the ultimate wish that
we both have about fur farms closing forever. I hope
we see that in our lifetime. So so thank you.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
I think it's a great possibility. And next time you're
in the Florida Keys, you'll have to come visit us.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Oh I promise, I will. I love it, I will.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
Thank you,
It's Maria's MutS and Stuff. What a great idea on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Welcome to Maria's Mutts and Stuff.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
And with me is Nicole Navarro who has Positive Beginnings.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
So Nicole, thanks for taking some time out.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Let's talk about positive beginnings and exactly what it is.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Sure, So Positive Beginnings is a five oh one c
three nonprofit fox Thankstuary and we are located in Key Largo, Florida.
So all seven foxes that I have here were rescued
from the fur trade. A lot of people don't realize
(00:46):
that fur farming is still alive well and legal, yeah
here in the United States. Unfortunately, you know, it's still
a practice that I feel should not be practice in
the United State, especially in the United States right here
we are. Yeah, so all seven foxes I have were
(01:10):
deemed undesirable or unprofitable by the fur farmer. So basically
what that means is their fur wasn't good enough. Some
of the foxes I have or missing tail, which is something, yeah,
something that unfortunately happens. You know, these mothers are forced
to give birth in these insanely cruel and disgusting conditions,
(01:32):
and you know, they start to harm their young out
of stress over grooming. So a lot of the animals
I have here, you know, don't have tails. And while
it's adorable in a sense, you know, it's a stark
reminder of the cruelty that takes place sure on these
fur farms.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Sure, I mean, I'm just I'm fascinated by you and
your group, your organization because I never realized that that
such a thing existed.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
But it makes so much sense.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
And how now, how do you how are you aware
of the foxes that need to be rescued?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Do the farms get in touch with you?
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Or you get notified from people who are like on
the inside, Like how does that work?
Speaker 1 (02:16):
So there are a few organizations throughout the United States
who have developed working relationships with these fur farmers. Uh
So at times throughout the year, these organizations will reach
out and be like, hey, you know you've you've surrendered
animals stuff before, you know, when you were otherwise just
gonna murder them. Yeah, do you do you have any
(02:39):
you know that fall into that category? Now? So there
are other organizations that you know, can play nice with
fur farmers to get them to legally surrender them. So
none of these foxes were illegally taken. Right, No, no,
of course, yeah, but I just I just have to
make that clear because that does go on.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Sure and right, so is it okay to say Rifley
so but yeah, yeah, sure, No, I get it.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
I've never I've never got it. So I'm not going
to get in trouble. No, You're not right, passionate people
out there that you know, I think the general consensus is,
you know, out of all the agricultural industries operating globally,
fur farming is the one where people are generally like, ugh, yeah,
(03:26):
why because it's just for fashion. You know, these animals
are bred into existence just to be killed for luxury
fashion exactly.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
And I mean, honestly, it's not like it was years
and years and years ago where and I'm talking about
hundreds of years ago where people were hunters in order
to survive, and you know, they were living in the Arctic,
so it was so cold and they needed fur to
keep Like, that's not existent anymore. And now with so
many synthetic and you know, there's fake fur.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
If you really want to.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Look like you're you think that it looks fast to
wear a fur coat, get a fake one, like you
don't you know what I mean. You don't have to
wear a dead animal on you. It's awful.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
So yeah, no it yeah, it's it is just not
a good look.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
No it's not.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
No, it's not it's not a good look. So so
how did this all start for you?
Speaker 1 (04:15):
So it's a it's an interesting story. I live in
Key Largo, but back in twenty seventeen, I was living
down in Key West. So Key Largo was the first
first key here in the Florida Keys. Key West is
the last key. So I was living down there during
Hurricane Irma, which was a little bit alarming.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Yes, I remember that, yes, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
So during that time, I was actually working at the
Hemmingway Home.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Oh I love that place. Yes, I went there over
this summer. I love it there.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Yes, I loved working there. I loved living in Key West.
It's just such a town all of its own.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
So I was working at the Hemmingway Home and I
was one of the ten employees that stayed behind during
Irma to care for the cats in the museum after
we had rounded up all the cats. Yeah, it was intense,
I'll tell you, it was intense.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
I'm sure that's scary.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Y Yeah, yeah, yep, for sure. But after the storm
had passed, I reached out to our local jail. So
here's where the story gets fun. So down in Key
West we have Demonroe County Sheriff's Office main detention center,
so it's just a county jail, not a prison, but
(05:37):
on the jail grounds sit a USDA certified zoo, so
they have to classify it as a zoo because of
the variety of animals that lived there, and the general
public is allowed to visit twice a month. So after IRMA,
they had evacuated all the inmates, so the woman that
runs the farm had stayed behind to take care of
(05:58):
all the animals. Actually, she moved all the animals up
into the jail, so yeah, to protect them from the storm. Okay,
So I reached out to her to see if she
needed help and she said yes. So typically they don't
allow volunteers in a jail for obvious reasons, but since
the inmates were gone, I went and helped her clean up,
(06:20):
get everything back in order, and her and I just
became like the fastest friends ever.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Nice.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
So, in twenty eighteen, I had moved back to Key Largo.
I want to be a little closer to the mainland
in case of another natural disaster.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Sure, but I would.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Still go down there at least once a week to
hang out with the animals. And twenty eighteen, two foxes
were surrendered to Herky and I had never had up
close personal experience with foxes before. You know, I grew
up on a large horse farm in western Pennsylvania, so
you see fox, but you know, you don't interact with
the fox sure, So it was just really fascinating to
(07:02):
me to be so close to these little forest puppies
who during during that time, you know, they were you know,
they were scared, they were confused, they had just been
relocated from the private home they were living in. Now
they're in this brand new place. And honestly, at that
(07:22):
time in my life, I was kind of at a
crossroads too, like what am I going to do with
the rest of my life?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Right?
Speaker 1 (07:27):
So, uh, the universe I think, you know, placed us
both in a position where we could help each other.
You know, those animals got used to me coming to
see them every week. We formed a really special bond,
and then you know, one day I was like, I, well,
you know, I want to help more. I want to
help more of these animals. So I just dug and
(07:48):
started doing research, started reaching out to these other facilities
that had foxes, that had these fur farm connections, you know,
did the research on the licenses I would need, the
insurance that I need, the permits I need. And in
twenty twenty, right when COVID hit, I got the call
asking if I was ready to start helping to take
(08:09):
in for farm animals. Wow. So yeah, yeah, you know
it's cool, Yeah, very cool, very cool. You know, it's
like right place, right time. You know, you don't understand
why things are happening as they're happening, but looking back
you're like, oh, this all made sense. You know, everything
worked out exactly the way it was supposed to. So
(08:33):
in twenty twenty I took in four fur farm survivors
as I call them. Twenty twenty one I took in two,
twenty twenty two I took in one, twenty twenty three
I took in one. So right now there's seven. I
know the numbers I rattled off at up to eight. Unfortunately,
one of my females passed away last year suddenly and unexpected.
(08:57):
I'm sorry, which again, yeah, you know it's it's very
sad because likely as a direct result of poor genetics
from bad breeding and in breeding that shakes on these
fur farms. You know, they don't care about health. They
care about coat quality, fur quality, so and they're you know,
they're afforded no veterinary care. It's just it's all about looks.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Yeah, I mean, yeah, yeah, I mean fur farms kind
of sound exactly like puppy mills exactly, right.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Yeah, yeah, very few make it out alive from the
right exactly.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
That's the main difference.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
It's fascinating. Do you have a very fascinating story. And
I mean, obviously you're probably at this point now an
expert on foxes as well, Like, what's what is something
that you can share with my listeners about foxes that
maybe most people don't know. But since you're so close
and knowledgeable about them, is there anything that you know
(09:55):
we wouldn't really know unless you hung out with a
bunch of foxes.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Yeah. So I only claim to be an expert on
the experiences that I've had with my own I'm very
careful to use the word expert, But as far as
my personal experiences these animals, you know, I see online.
A lot of people are like, oh, they are a
combinations of cat and dog. I'm like, no, they're actually
a wild animal, right, yeah, they're They're neither. They're their
(10:24):
own individual species. You know, they're red fox, you know,
not not a dog nor a cat. You know. They
they can possess quality, of course, but at the at
the end of the day, they are their own unique
Uh yeah, they're their own unique beings, that's for sure.
(10:45):
And you know, they all have their own very individual personalities,
which is hysterical because not one of my foxes are
the same personality wise. You know, I say, it's like
a soap opera. You have the drama king, we have
the diva. We have a bad boy, you know, we
(11:08):
have the paranoid one that you know, thinks the sky
is falling at all times. We have the wise old man.
So it's just very comical. And I would say to
anyone listening that's ever seen a cute baby fox online,
they do not make good pets.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Yes, I was just gonna yes, I was just gonna
ask you about that, Like, obviously they don't make good pets,
and you know because so many times, well that's why
kids jump into at zoos or wherever were they like
wild animals and they think, oh, it's adorable.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
No, it's a wild animal. You're not supposed touch it. No,
you know, so yes, yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Say you know, although I share my life with them,
and I say that very intentionally. You know, I share
my life with them. They you know, they dictate a
lot of what goes on around here. You know, live
in my house, they have outdoor enclosed I don't think
of them as pets. I respect them for exactly what
(12:03):
they are, which is, at the end of the day,
wild animals. So a lot of people, you know, the
exotic pet trade is big in the United States as well,
and there are a lot of people that breed foxes
in their backyard and then just sell them to anyone
for five six hundred bucks. You know, you don't get
a manual. Yeah, but you know, foxes reach sexual maturity
(12:26):
between six and eight months of age. So when the
cute little yeah, when the cute little baby goes away
and they start acting like a fox, yeah, a lot
of people are like, well, time to get rid of it.
But you know, it's it's not as simple as dropping
off your unwanted dog at the shelter, which is a
whole other subject, but you know, it's it's just it's
(12:49):
just a big problem, you know, exotic pet ownerships in
the United States.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
Which we've seen in so many, so many Netflix documentaries
at this time.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Oh my gosh. Yeah, the latest one, chimp Crazy. Yes,
oh my gosh, I.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Was exactly what I was thinking of as you were
talking about it, that they are wild animals, and I
was just thinking about chimp crazy, where you're like, oh
my god, she's crazy, you.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Know, yeah, yeah, it's yeah, it can become a problem. Sure, no,
I got well, and you know, in some cases, you know,
for these larger exotics, it can become a deadly problem.
Oh sure, end of the day, like yeah, yeah, yes, yes,
another one.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
But so I was looking at your website, Positive Beginnings
dot org, and I see that the public can come
and take a tour, which I think is really cool.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Yeah. So it's something that I held off on doing
for a long time until I made sure, you know,
they were totally comfortable. I was totally comfortable, and yeah,
it's I only do it once a week on Saturdays,
you know, maximum of four people, no teeny tiny children,
right of course, and it's it's just it's all on
(14:02):
the foxes terms, you know. I share each fox's individual
stories on how they came to be here. I share information,
you know about the fur trade because again a lot
of people don't realize it. And then we go into
the foxes enclosures, and if the foxes choose to interact,
you know, great, and if they don't, no one is
forced to do anything here. You know, I don't place
(14:23):
expectations on these animals, but I would say, nine times
out of ten, I do have a select few foxes
that love attention.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
That's sweet. That's sweet.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
And for someone who's listening right now, say they can't
come visit you, I would assume you survive on donations.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Correct, Yeah, yeah, we rely heavily on donations from the
general public. You know, their their food is expensive. I
feed them a species appropriate diet. No kibb, no no
kibble is being handed out here. In their veterinary care,
(15:04):
even though they are canine very biologically similar to a dog,
there are still very distinct differences. So their vet care
is expensive as well. So yeah, we always, you know,
appreciate the support, whether it be monetary. We do have
an Amazon wish list, so people can send gifts to
(15:25):
the Foxes.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
That's great.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
A lot of people like doing that. And you know,
we're extremely involved in the community now, which is you know,
something that's sort of beautifully morphed into what it is.
We host the Florida Key's Children's Shelter here. We share
the stories of the Foxes overcoming their own hardships and
it really resonates with a lot of the kids that
(15:48):
are going through their own personal challenges. So yeah, we've
really integrated quite magically into the community here, and the
community has literally just wrapped their arms around us since
day one.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
So that's wonderful.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
Yeah, truly our own little oz down here.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
No, it definitely is. It definitely is.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
But that's wonderful that the community has embraced you and
and rightfully.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
So yeah, it's really amazing. We have great relationships with
local law enforcement, the local schools, you know, everyone is
everyone has turned into fox fans over the last time.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Oh it's very sweet. No, it's very sweet.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
I find you so unique and what you do so unique.
I think it's really cool. I mean it's really yeah,
it's very very cool. So where do you see where
do you see yourself like over the next you've been
around for five years doing this in the next five years,
obviously the ultimate wish would be that you know, fur
(16:49):
farms go away and close, right, That was like, yeah,
ultimate ultimate wish and dream, but other like, But for you,
where do you see yourself like continuing this, enlarging it,
getting more people, getting the word out.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
What do you see in the future.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
I mean, I'd love to be able to expand, to
be able to help more people, like with the trauma
informed care aspect of it. But something else I would
love to really work on and have local legislators, even
at the state level, taken interest in implementing a ban
on the sale of new for throughout the state of Florida. Sure,
(17:29):
a lot of other a lot of other cities across
the country have done it. California became the first state
to do it in twenty nineteen. So I think, you know,
getting to the point where legislation is being passed, uh
huh to sort of stamp this out at the at
the level where if you can't sell it, the demand
(17:50):
will start to decrease.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Of course, of course, yeah, I know that makes sense.
That's great.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Well, thank you so much, Nicole for explaining and talking
about Positive Beginnings, and for listeners who want to learn
more about it, you can go to positive beginnings dot
org and it's p A W S I T i
v E beginnings dot org. So, Nicole Navarro, thank you
so much for taking the time out, Thanks.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
For all you do.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
And I hope that you know the ultimate wish that
we both have about fur farms closing forever. I hope
we see that in our lifetime. So so thank you.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
I think it's a great possibility. And next time you're
in the Florida Keys, you'll have to come visit us.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Oh I promise, I will. I love it, I will.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
Thank you,
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