ARVADA, Colo. — Four months after being shot through the neck by an arrow, a fox has been released back into the wild.
In June, 9NEWS reported that a red fox had been discovered with an arrow lodged in her neck in a residential area of Arvada.
The arrow was almost three feet long, more than four times the width of the young fox.
Arvada Animal Management officers rushed the fox to the Rocky Mountain Wildlife Alliance for emergency medical care. The wound, estimated to be one to three days old, had penetrated her left shoulder and exited through the right side of her neck.
Emily Davenport, the wildlife rehabilitator who saved the fox, described her survival as nothing short of a miracle.
"If she had not been brought in for medical attention, it would have absolutely been detrimental to her life," said Davenport.
X-rays revealed that the arrow narrowly missed vital tissues, airways, blood vessels, and her spine — any of which could have caused fatal injuries if they had been struck.
On Thursday, Davenport told 9NEWS the fox had been recovered and was sent on her way Wednesday night.
It's not clear whether the person who shot the arrow has been identified. The person who did it could potentially face animal cruelty charges which carry a maximum fine of $5,000, a mandatory minimum fine of $500, and can include up to 18 months of jail time.
