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<v Speaker 1>It's Maria's MutS and Stuff. What a great idea on iHeartRadio.

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<v Speaker 2>Welcome to Maria's Mutts and Stuff.

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<v Speaker 3>And with me is Nicole Navarro who has Positive Beginnings.

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<v Speaker 2>So Nicole, thanks for taking some time out.

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<v Speaker 3>Let's talk about positive beginnings and exactly what it is.

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<v Speaker 1>Sure, So Positive Beginnings is a five oh one c

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<v Speaker 1>three nonprofit fox Thankstuary and we are located in Key Largo, Florida.

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<v Speaker 1>So all seven foxes that I have here were rescued

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<v Speaker 1>from the fur trade. A lot of people don't realize

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<v Speaker 1>that fur farming is still alive well and legal, yeah

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<v Speaker 1>here in the United States. Unfortunately, you know, it's still

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<v Speaker 1>a practice that I feel should not be practice in

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<v Speaker 1>the United State, especially in the United States right here

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<v Speaker 1>we are. Yeah, so all seven foxes I have were

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<v Speaker 1>deemed undesirable or unprofitable by the fur farmer. So basically

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<v Speaker 1>what that means is their fur wasn't good enough. Some

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<v Speaker 1>of the foxes I have or missing tail, which is something, yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>something that unfortunately happens. You know, these mothers are forced

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<v Speaker 1>to give birth in these insanely cruel and disgusting conditions,

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<v Speaker 1>and you know, they start to harm their young out

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<v Speaker 1>of stress over grooming. So a lot of the animals

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<v Speaker 1>I have here, you know, don't have tails. And while

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<v Speaker 1>it's adorable in a sense, you know, it's a stark

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<v Speaker 1>reminder of the cruelty that takes place sure on these

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<v Speaker 1>fur farms.

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<v Speaker 3>Sure, I mean, I'm just I'm fascinated by you and

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<v Speaker 3>your group, your organization because I never realized that that

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<v Speaker 3>such a thing existed.

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<v Speaker 2>But it makes so much sense.

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<v Speaker 3>And how now, how do you how are you aware

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<v Speaker 3>of the foxes that need to be rescued?

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<v Speaker 2>Do the farms get in touch with you?

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<v Speaker 3>Or you get notified from people who are like on

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<v Speaker 3>the inside, Like how does that work?

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<v Speaker 1>So there are a few organizations throughout the United States

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<v Speaker 1>who have developed working relationships with these fur farmers. Uh

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<v Speaker 1>So at times throughout the year, these organizations will reach

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<v Speaker 1>out and be like, hey, you know you've you've surrendered

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<v Speaker 1>animals stuff before, you know, when you were otherwise just

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<v Speaker 1>gonna murder them. Yeah, do you do you have any

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<v Speaker 1>you know that fall into that category? Now? So there

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<v Speaker 1>are other organizations that you know, can play nice with

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<v Speaker 1>fur farmers to get them to legally surrender them. So

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<v Speaker 1>none of these foxes were illegally taken. Right, No, no,

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<v Speaker 1>of course, yeah, but I just I just have to

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<v Speaker 1>make that clear because that does go on.

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<v Speaker 3>Sure and right, so is it okay to say Rifley

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<v Speaker 3>so but yeah, yeah, sure, No, I get it.

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<v Speaker 1>I've never I've never got it. So I'm not going

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<v Speaker 1>to get in trouble. No, You're not right, passionate people

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<v Speaker 1>out there that you know, I think the general consensus is,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, out of all the agricultural industries operating globally,

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<v Speaker 1>fur farming is the one where people are generally like, ugh, yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>why because it's just for fashion. You know, these animals

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<v Speaker 1>are bred into existence just to be killed for luxury

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<v Speaker 1>fashion exactly.

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<v Speaker 3>And I mean, honestly, it's not like it was years

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<v Speaker 3>and years and years ago where and I'm talking about

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<v Speaker 3>hundreds of years ago where people were hunters in order

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<v Speaker 3>to survive, and you know, they were living in the Arctic,

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<v Speaker 3>so it was so cold and they needed fur to

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<v Speaker 3>keep Like, that's not existent anymore. And now with so

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<v Speaker 3>many synthetic and you know, there's fake fur.

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<v Speaker 2>If you really want to.

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<v Speaker 3>Look like you're you think that it looks fast to

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<v Speaker 3>wear a fur coat, get a fake one, like you

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<v Speaker 3>don't you know what I mean. You don't have to

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<v Speaker 3>wear a dead animal on you. It's awful.

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<v Speaker 1>So yeah, no it yeah, it's it is just not

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<v Speaker 1>a good look.

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<v Speaker 2>No it's not.

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<v Speaker 3>No, it's not it's not a good look. So so

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<v Speaker 3>how did this all start for you?

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<v Speaker 1>So it's a it's an interesting story. I live in

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<v Speaker 1>Key Largo, but back in twenty seventeen, I was living

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<v Speaker 1>down in Key West. So Key Largo was the first

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<v Speaker 1>first key here in the Florida Keys. Key West is

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<v Speaker 1>the last key. So I was living down there during

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<v Speaker 1>Hurricane Irma, which was a little bit alarming.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, I remember that, yes, yeah, yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>So during that time, I was actually working at the

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<v Speaker 1>Hemmingway Home.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh I love that place. Yes, I went there over

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<v Speaker 2>this summer. I love it there.

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<v Speaker 1>Yes, I loved working there. I loved living in Key West.

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<v Speaker 1>It's just such a town all of its own.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>So I was working at the Hemmingway Home and I

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<v Speaker 1>was one of the ten employees that stayed behind during

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<v Speaker 1>Irma to care for the cats in the museum after

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<v Speaker 1>we had rounded up all the cats. Yeah, it was intense,

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<v Speaker 1>I'll tell you, it was intense.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm sure that's scary.

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<v Speaker 1>Y Yeah, yeah, yep, for sure. But after the storm

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<v Speaker 1>had passed, I reached out to our local jail. So

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<v Speaker 1>here's where the story gets fun. So down in Key

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<v Speaker 1>West we have Demonroe County Sheriff's Office main detention center,

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<v Speaker 1>so it's just a county jail, not a prison, but

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<v Speaker 1>on the jail grounds sit a USDA certified zoo, so

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<v Speaker 1>they have to classify it as a zoo because of

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<v Speaker 1>the variety of animals that lived there, and the general

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<v Speaker 1>public is allowed to visit twice a month. So after IRMA,

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<v Speaker 1>they had evacuated all the inmates, so the woman that

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<v Speaker 1>runs the farm had stayed behind to take care of

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<v Speaker 1>all the animals. Actually, she moved all the animals up

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<v Speaker 1>into the jail, so yeah, to protect them from the storm. Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>So I reached out to her to see if she

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<v Speaker 1>needed help and she said yes. So typically they don't

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<v Speaker 1>allow volunteers in a jail for obvious reasons, but since

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<v Speaker 1>the inmates were gone, I went and helped her clean up,

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<v Speaker 1>get everything back in order, and her and I just

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<v Speaker 1>became like the fastest friends ever.

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<v Speaker 2>Nice.

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<v Speaker 1>So, in twenty eighteen, I had moved back to Key Largo.

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<v Speaker 1>I want to be a little closer to the mainland

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<v Speaker 1>in case of another natural disaster.

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<v Speaker 2>Sure, but I would.

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<v Speaker 1>Still go down there at least once a week to

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<v Speaker 1>hang out with the animals. And twenty eighteen, two foxes

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<v Speaker 1>were surrendered to Herky and I had never had up

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<v Speaker 1>close personal experience with foxes before. You know, I grew

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<v Speaker 1>up on a large horse farm in western Pennsylvania, so

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<v Speaker 1>you see fox, but you know, you don't interact with

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<v Speaker 1>the fox sure, So it was just really fascinating to

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<v Speaker 1>me to be so close to these little forest puppies

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<v Speaker 1>who during during that time, you know, they were you know,

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<v Speaker 1>they were scared, they were confused, they had just been

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<v Speaker 1>relocated from the private home they were living in. Now

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<v Speaker 1>they're in this brand new place. And honestly, at that

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<v Speaker 1>time in my life, I was kind of at a

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<v Speaker 1>crossroads too, like what am I going to do with

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<v Speaker 1>the rest of my life?

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<v Speaker 2>Right?

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<v Speaker 1>So, uh, the universe I think, you know, placed us

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<v Speaker 1>both in a position where we could help each other.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, those animals got used to me coming to

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<v Speaker 1>see them every week. We formed a really special bond,

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<v Speaker 1>and then you know, one day I was like, I, well,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, I want to help more. I want to

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<v Speaker 1>help more of these animals. So I just dug and

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<v Speaker 1>started doing research, started reaching out to these other facilities

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<v Speaker 1>that had foxes, that had these fur farm connections, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>did the research on the licenses I would need, the

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<v Speaker 1>insurance that I need, the permits I need. And in

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<v Speaker 1>twenty twenty, right when COVID hit, I got the call

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<v Speaker 1>asking if I was ready to start helping to take

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<v Speaker 1>in for farm animals. Wow. So yeah, yeah, you know

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<v Speaker 1>it's cool, Yeah, very cool, very cool. You know, it's

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<v Speaker 1>like right place, right time. You know, you don't understand

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<v Speaker 1>why things are happening as they're happening, but looking back

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<v Speaker 1>you're like, oh, this all made sense. You know, everything

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<v Speaker 1>worked out exactly the way it was supposed to. So

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<v Speaker 1>in twenty twenty I took in four fur farm survivors

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<v Speaker 1>as I call them. Twenty twenty one I took in two,

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<v Speaker 1>twenty twenty two I took in one, twenty twenty three

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<v Speaker 1>I took in one. So right now there's seven. I

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<v Speaker 1>know the numbers I rattled off at up to eight. Unfortunately,

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<v Speaker 1>one of my females passed away last year suddenly and unexpected.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm sorry, which again, yeah, you know it's it's very

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<v Speaker 1>sad because likely as a direct result of poor genetics

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<v Speaker 1>from bad breeding and in breeding that shakes on these

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<v Speaker 1>fur farms. You know, they don't care about health. They

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<v Speaker 1>care about coat quality, fur quality, so and they're you know,

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<v Speaker 1>they're afforded no veterinary care. It's just it's all about looks.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I mean, yeah, yeah, I mean fur farms kind

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<v Speaker 3>of sound exactly like puppy mills exactly, right.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, yeah, very few make it out alive from the

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<v Speaker 1>right exactly.

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<v Speaker 2>That's the main difference.

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<v Speaker 3>It's fascinating. Do you have a very fascinating story. And

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, obviously you're probably at this point now an

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<v Speaker 3>expert on foxes as well, Like, what's what is something

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<v Speaker 3>that you can share with my listeners about foxes that

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<v Speaker 3>maybe most people don't know. But since you're so close

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<v Speaker 3>and knowledgeable about them, is there anything that you know

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<v Speaker 3>we wouldn't really know unless you hung out with a

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<v Speaker 3>bunch of foxes.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah. So I only claim to be an expert on

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<v Speaker 1>the experiences that I've had with my own I'm very

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<v Speaker 1>careful to use the word expert, But as far as

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<v Speaker 1>my personal experiences these animals, you know, I see online.

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<v Speaker 1>A lot of people are like, oh, they are a

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<v Speaker 1>combinations of cat and dog. I'm like, no, they're actually

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<v Speaker 1>a wild animal, right, yeah, they're They're neither. They're their

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<v Speaker 1>own individual species. You know, they're red fox, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>not not a dog nor a cat. You know. They

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<v Speaker 1>they can possess quality, of course, but at the at

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<v Speaker 1>the end of the day, they are their own unique

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<v Speaker 1>Uh yeah, they're their own unique beings, that's for sure.

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<v Speaker 1>And you know, they all have their own very individual personalities,

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<v Speaker 1>which is hysterical because not one of my foxes are

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<v Speaker 1>the same personality wise. You know, I say, it's like

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<v Speaker 1>a soap opera. You have the drama king, we have

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<v Speaker 1>the diva. We have a bad boy, you know, we

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<v Speaker 1>have the paranoid one that you know, thinks the sky

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<v Speaker 1>is falling at all times. We have the wise old man.

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<v Speaker 1>So it's just very comical. And I would say to

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<v Speaker 1>anyone listening that's ever seen a cute baby fox online,

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<v Speaker 1>they do not make good pets.

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, I was just gonna yes, I was just gonna

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<v Speaker 3>ask you about that, Like, obviously they don't make good pets,

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<v Speaker 3>and you know because so many times, well that's why

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<v Speaker 3>kids jump into at zoos or wherever were they like

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<v Speaker 3>wild animals and they think, oh, it's adorable.

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<v Speaker 2>No, it's a wild animal. You're not supposed touch it. No,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, so yes, yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>Say you know, although I share my life with them,

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<v Speaker 1>and I say that very intentionally. You know, I share

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<v Speaker 1>my life with them. They you know, they dictate a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of what goes on around here. You know, live

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<v Speaker 1>in my house, they have outdoor enclosed I don't think

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<v Speaker 1>of them as pets. I respect them for exactly what

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<v Speaker 1>they are, which is, at the end of the day,

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<v Speaker 1>wild animals. So a lot of people, you know, the

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<v Speaker 1>exotic pet trade is big in the United States as well,

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<v Speaker 1>and there are a lot of people that breed foxes

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<v Speaker 1>in their backyard and then just sell them to anyone

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<v Speaker 1>for five six hundred bucks. You know, you don't get

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<v Speaker 1>a manual. Yeah, but you know, foxes reach sexual maturity

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<v Speaker 1>between six and eight months of age. So when the

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<v Speaker 1>cute little yeah, when the cute little baby goes away

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<v Speaker 1>and they start acting like a fox, yeah, a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of people are like, well, time to get rid of it.

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<v Speaker 1>But you know, it's it's not as simple as dropping

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<v Speaker 1>off your unwanted dog at the shelter, which is a

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<v Speaker 1>whole other subject, but you know, it's it's just it's

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<v Speaker 1>just a big problem, you know, exotic pet ownerships in

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<v Speaker 1>the United States.

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<v Speaker 3>Which we've seen in so many, so many Netflix documentaries

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<v Speaker 3>at this time.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh my gosh. Yeah, the latest one, chimp Crazy. Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>oh my gosh, I.

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<v Speaker 3>Was exactly what I was thinking of as you were

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<v Speaker 3>talking about it, that they are wild animals, and I

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<v Speaker 3>was just thinking about chimp crazy, where you're like, oh

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<v Speaker 3>my god, she's crazy, you.

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<v Speaker 1>Know, yeah, yeah, it's yeah, it can become a problem. Sure, no,

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<v Speaker 1>I got well, and you know, in some cases, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>for these larger exotics, it can become a deadly problem.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh sure, end of the day, like yeah, yeah, yes, yes,

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<v Speaker 1>another one.

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<v Speaker 3>But so I was looking at your website, Positive Beginnings

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<v Speaker 3>dot org, and I see that the public can come

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<v Speaker 3>and take a tour, which I think is really cool.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah. So it's something that I held off on doing

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<v Speaker 1>for a long time until I made sure, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>they were totally comfortable. I was totally comfortable, and yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>it's I only do it once a week on Saturdays,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, maximum of four people, no teeny tiny children,

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<v Speaker 1>right of course, and it's it's just it's all on

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<v Speaker 1>the foxes terms, you know. I share each fox's individual

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<v Speaker 1>stories on how they came to be here. I share information,

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<v Speaker 1>you know about the fur trade because again a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of people don't realize it. And then we go into

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<v Speaker 1>the foxes enclosures, and if the foxes choose to interact,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, great, and if they don't, no one is

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<v Speaker 1>forced to do anything here. You know, I don't place

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<v Speaker 1>expectations on these animals, but I would say, nine times

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<v Speaker 1>out of ten, I do have a select few foxes

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<v Speaker 1>that love attention.

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<v Speaker 2>That's sweet. That's sweet.

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<v Speaker 3>And for someone who's listening right now, say they can't

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<v Speaker 3>come visit you, I would assume you survive on donations.

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<v Speaker 1>Correct, Yeah, yeah, we rely heavily on donations from the

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<v Speaker 1>general public. You know, their their food is expensive. I

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<v Speaker 1>feed them a species appropriate diet. No kibb, no no

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<v Speaker 1>kibble is being handed out here. In their veterinary care,

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<v Speaker 1>even though they are canine very biologically similar to a dog,

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<v Speaker 1>there are still very distinct differences. So their vet care

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<v Speaker 1>is expensive as well. So yeah, we always, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>appreciate the support, whether it be monetary. We do have

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<v Speaker 1>an Amazon wish list, so people can send gifts to

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<v Speaker 1>the Foxes.

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<v Speaker 2>That's great.

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<v Speaker 1>A lot of people like doing that. And you know,

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<v Speaker 1>we're extremely involved in the community now, which is you know,

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<v Speaker 1>something that's sort of beautifully morphed into what it is.

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<v Speaker 1>We host the Florida Key's Children's Shelter here. We share

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<v Speaker 1>the stories of the Foxes overcoming their own hardships and

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<v Speaker 1>it really resonates with a lot of the kids that

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<v Speaker 1>are going through their own personal challenges. So yeah, we've

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<v Speaker 1>really integrated quite magically into the community here, and the

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<v Speaker 1>community has literally just wrapped their arms around us since

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<v Speaker 1>day one.

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<v Speaker 2>So that's wonderful.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, truly our own little oz down here.

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<v Speaker 2>No, it definitely is. It definitely is.

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<v Speaker 3>But that's wonderful that the community has embraced you and

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<v Speaker 3>and rightfully.

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<v Speaker 1>So yeah, it's really amazing. We have great relationships with

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<v Speaker 1>local law enforcement, the local schools, you know, everyone is

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<v Speaker 1>everyone has turned into fox fans over the last time.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh it's very sweet. No, it's very sweet.

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<v Speaker 3>I find you so unique and what you do so unique.

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<v Speaker 3>I think it's really cool. I mean it's really yeah,

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<v Speaker 3>it's very very cool. So where do you see where

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<v Speaker 3>do you see yourself like over the next you've been

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<v Speaker 3>around for five years doing this in the next five years,

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<v Speaker 3>obviously the ultimate wish would be that you know, fur

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<v Speaker 3>farms go away and close, right, That was like, yeah,

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<v Speaker 3>ultimate ultimate wish and dream, but other like, But for you,

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<v Speaker 3>where do you see yourself like continuing this, enlarging it,

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<v Speaker 3>getting more people, getting the word out.

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<v Speaker 2>What do you see in the future.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, I'd love to be able to expand, to

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<v Speaker 1>be able to help more people, like with the trauma

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<v Speaker 1>informed care aspect of it. But something else I would

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<v Speaker 1>love to really work on and have local legislators, even

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<v Speaker 1>at the state level, taken interest in implementing a ban

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<v Speaker 1>on the sale of new for throughout the state of Florida. Sure,

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of other a lot of other cities across

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<v Speaker 1>the country have done it. California became the first state

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<v Speaker 1>to do it in twenty nineteen. So I think, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>getting to the point where legislation is being passed, uh

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<v Speaker 1>huh to sort of stamp this out at the at

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<v Speaker 1>the level where if you can't sell it, the demand

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<v Speaker 1>will start to decrease.

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<v Speaker 2>Of course, of course, yeah, I know that makes sense.

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<v Speaker 2>That's great.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, thank you so much, Nicole for explaining and talking

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<v Speaker 3>about Positive Beginnings, and for listeners who want to learn

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<v Speaker 3>more about it, you can go to positive beginnings dot

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<v Speaker 3>org and it's p A W S I T i

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<v Speaker 3>v E beginnings dot org. So, Nicole Navarro, thank you

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<v Speaker 3>so much for taking the time out, Thanks.

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<v Speaker 2>For all you do.

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<v Speaker 3>And I hope that you know the ultimate wish that

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<v Speaker 3>we both have about fur farms closing forever. I hope

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<v Speaker 3>we see that in our lifetime. So so thank you.

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<v Speaker 1>I think it's a great possibility. And next time you're

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<v Speaker 1>in the Florida Keys, you'll have to come visit us.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh I promise, I will. I love it, I will.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you so much.

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<v Speaker 1>Thank you,