I feed foxes at home. We have a moral duty to share our space with these majestic creatures

in St Leonards-on-Sea.

Fanny appeared to be devoid of any signs of fear. She'd sit about four or five metres off, watching us calmly.

into her food.

She went away for a brief period to deliver the cubs and afterwards, she'd habitually come into the garden every night. She'd approach the back door and wait for me and Tony to give her food, which she'd then take to the cubs to feed them.

Seeing them develop and grow over the past couple of months has been a delightful experience.

We've incorporated a fish pond and habitats for birds to nest, which has been really appealing and has certainly brought wildlife to our doorstep, it's been absolutely delightful.

It's a complete connection with nature. Locals are often heard saying, “You've got a pet fox” but we've always replied, “No, it's the other way round - she's the one with the pet humans”. We recognised that she was a wild animal and an independent creature, yet we had a deep respect for each other.

We didn't even bother with affection, but she would take food from my hand when offered. It was mostly hands-off, just let her be. She could be rather pushy. When she had her litter, she'd hang around our doorstep, knowing a meal was due.

She'd often sit outside our kitchen door when everything was getting overwhelming and she needed a break. It was a spot she'd visit whenever the cubs were causing a fuss and she wanted some peace. Occasionally, our side door would be left open and she'd calmly sit outside, unwinding. Although, she never really ventured far into the house, she'd usually end up staring intently at the fridge - it seemed she was well aware that's where the food was kept.

It seemed a bit over the top, I could see why our neighbours were on edge. Foxes can solicit quite a strong response from some people, but our neighbours took an instant fancy to Fanny. There was no animosity whatsoever on our part. The couple next door loved seeing pictures of Fanny and the kids on the other side were also fond of her.

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Last year, she was caring for two sets of cubs simultaneously. We think her previous litter had had cubs and weren't able to look after them, so she ended up taking on the new task - there must have been around three or four weeks between the different litters. I'd be positioned on the wall and she'd literally be nursing her cubs just a metre away from me. It was fantastic.

We began to notice quarrels between Fanny and the other foxes, which we believed were her two year old cubs. We supposed her initial cubs had grasped the advantages of the feedings and then ejected her.

Since that event, we've stopped leaving food out for them. We obtained a new dog which we didn't want to upset, and actually, our bond was with Fanny. It wasn't that we were trying to attract the foxes – it was always about her all along.

We thoroughly enjoyed having Fanny visit our garden, it was lovely to have her around. Foxes are highly intelligent creatures, quite as clever as dogs, probably even more so. They're a welcome addition to any garden, as they help to keep pests under control. Fanny certainly proved to be proficient at taking down a few rats.

Her chicks would be fledging and she'd vanishing act then – likely pursuing the gulls.

We've built our homes, towns, and cities over theirs, forcing the animals to adapt to our presence. Therefore, it's only fair that we should make some adjustments to accommodate theirs. We should share the environment without pushing them out.

Whether it’s foxes, hedgehogs, badgers or squirrels, we should allow them to live alongside us. They’re intelligent, captivating and awe-inspiring creatures. We can gain a great deal from observing animals like Fanny.

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