When Pauline Ashanolla decided to take in a six-month-old fox named Marley, she was unsure of how her dogs would respond to their new furry companion. She was initially concerned about how Marley and her dogs would interact. Initially, it seemed that her bulldog, Ernie, was quite scared of Marley, and Marley was not too fond of him either. However, over time, they started to warm up to each other, with Marley even getting closer to Ernie during their sleep sessions. This was shared with the Daily Mail in an interview about their first interactions.
The animals, however, grew closer and closer as they spent more time with each other. Ashanolla mentioned how they began playing together after three weeks, and since then, they have become the best of friends. She described them as inseparable, doing everything together from playing all day to sleeping side by side every night and going for walks together.
Ashanolla, a passionate animal lover from the Isle of Wight in England, shared that a couple in her local community stumbled upon small Marley in April, a mere two weeks old, abandoned and alone. Without any nearby animal rescue options, they turned to Ashanolla for help, leading her to set aside her aspirations of becoming a dog groomer to nurse Marley back to health.
Recalling the condition in which Marley was found, Ashanolla described how the fox cub was infested with flies and ticks, with the parasites plaguing her ears and covering her body. “She was vomiting out lengthy worms that were even longer than her own tiny body,” Ashanolla recounted. “If Marley had been discovered just 15 minutes later, she likely wouldn’t have survived.”
Over the course of six weeks, she devoted her time to nurturing the little fox back to health. She diligently fed her kitten milk every 90 minutes, both day and night, and made sure to administer the necessary medication to combat worms and ticks.
Ashanolla shared, “Despite the initial treatment, it was evident that her condition wasn’t improving. She required medication for a total of four months. I received invaluable support and guidance from veterinarians and fox rescue organizations, but taking care of her was a significant undertaking.”
“I’m utterly exhausted,” she admitted. “Caring for her has taken a toll on me, aging me beyond my years. I even had to give up my ideal job because of her, but witnessing her newfound happiness and wellness has made it all worthwhile.”
Ashanolla has found great joy in seeing the bond between Marley and Ernie grow. When Ernie comes back from a walk without Marley, she is thrilled and goes crazy with happiness because she loves him so much. Ashanolla refers to Ernie as Marley’s babysitter and her little nanny dog. She can rely on Ernie to keep Marley entertained when she needs to take care of things or is feeling tired.
Seeing how well these two have connected brings Ashanolla a lot of happiness. She describes their friendship as incredibly unique and special.