Key Points
- A Hackney resident, Blakeley Bermingham, 43, spotted an injured fox in her garden in October 2024, shivering, bleeding, with bald patches on its tail and signs of mange.
- After consulting her local vet, Bermingham contacted the Fox Angels Foundation and began leaving turkey mince meatballs mixed with medicine for the fox, which she named Meatball.
- In September 2025, Bermingham and her partner Josh Smith shared Meatball’s story on TikTok and Instagram, garnering almost seven million views.
- With Fox Angels’ help, Meatball recovered and now regularly visits Bermingham’s garden, showing a “special connection”.
- During recovery, Meatball became pregnant, but her cubs did not survive due to her poor health.
- Meatball has grown more comfortable, watching TV through the window, entering the home, and playing in the garden.
- Mange is common in foxes, especially in winter, causing severe injuries like blindness or death.
- London has around 10,000 urban foxes, but up to 80% of cubs do not survive to adulthood, often due to road accidents.
- Bermingham stated: “We couldn’t just leave a creature in that state. It was awful.”
- Fox Angels Foundation, founded in 2019, treats about 400 foxes monthly on-site with 26 volunteers, referring 14 more to vets; relies on donations.
- Lynne Driscoll, chair of Fox Angels, said: “I wish people would understand that foxes are sentient beings with familial bonds and emotions.”
- Many vets refuse to treat foxes despite Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ code requiring emergency aid; treatment costs can exceed £2,000 for an injured eye or £5,000 for a fractured leg.
- Foxes are wild animals, not pests, so councils have no duty to remove them.
- Poison use against foxes is rising in urban areas like London.
Hackney (East London Times) February 20, 2026 – Blakeley Bermingham, a 43-year-old resident of Hackney, has formed a “special connection” with a fox named Meatball after nursing it back to health from severe mange, a story that exploded online with nearly seven million views on TikTok and Instagram.
- Key Points
- What Triggered the Fox Rescue in Hackney?
- How Did Meatball’s Story Go Viral?
- What Is the Current Bond Between Bermingham and Meatball?
- Why Is Mange a Major Threat to Urban Foxes?
- How Does the Fox Angels Foundation Operate?
- Why Do Vets Hesitate to Treat Foxes?
- Are Foxes Pests or Protected Wildlife?
- What Lessons Emerge from Meatball’s Recovery?
The tale began in October 2024 when Bermingham first spotted the injured fox in her garden. As reported by BBC News, the animal was shivering and bleeding, with bald patches on its tail and clear signs of mange. After speaking to her local vet, she contacted the Fox Angels Foundation, a charity specialising in rescuing and treating injured foxes, and started leaving turkey mince meatballs mixed with medication.
“We couldn’t just leave a creature in that state. It was awful,”
What Triggered the Fox Rescue in Hackney?
Bermingham’s intervention came swiftly upon discovering Meatball. According to the BBC article by their news team, the fox’s condition was dire, typical of mange infections that ravage urban foxes. Mange, caused by parasitic mites, leads to intense itching, hair loss, skin infections, and vulnerability to cold, often proving fatal in winter without treatment.
Fox Angels provided prompt guidance and medication, as Bermingham noted:
“Fox Angels were incredibly prompt in providing guidance and sending medication; I’m truly thankful for their support.”
She mixed the treatment into meatballs, a method that allowed Meatball to eat while receiving care.
This hands-off approach—leaving food in the garden—respected the fox’s wild nature while aiding recovery.
How Did Meatball’s Story Go Viral?
In September 2025, Bermingham and her partner Josh Smith shared updates on TikTok and Instagram. The posts, detailing Meatball’s transformation, amassed almost seven million views, sparking widespread interest in urban wildlife rescue.
Yahoo Style coverage echoed this, noting the story’s heartwarming appeal: Bermingham and Smith posted Meatball’s tale, drawing global attention to the Hackney garden drama. The viral success highlighted social media’s role in animal welfare awareness.
What Is the Current Bond Between Bermingham and Meatball?
Meatball has fully recovered and returns regularly to the garden, demonstrating trust. As detailed in the BBC report, during her healing, she became pregnant, but the cubs did not survive due to her initial poor health.
Over the next year, Meatball grew bolder: watching television through the glass, entering the home, and frolicking playfully. Bermingham described this as a “special connection”, with the fox now lively and at ease.
Lynne Driscoll of Fox Angels affirmed such bonds are possible, emphasising foxes’ sentience.
Why Is Mange a Major Threat to Urban Foxes?
Mange affects foxes severely, burrowing mites causing hair loss, infections, dehydration, and hypothermia. WebMD explains that winter exacerbates it, with many foxes dying untreated. Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue notes it impairs hunting and reproduction, leading to population drops.
In London, with 10,000 urban foxes, 80% of cubs perish young, often from roads, compounded by habitat loss. Bermingham reflected:
“We have disrupted their habitats. For better or worse, [foxes] must coexist with us, so it is our responsibility to assist them when they are in distress.”
How Does the Fox Angels Foundation Operate?
Founded in 2019, Fox Angels relies on donations to help UK foxes. Their Charity Commission profile states they relieve suffering by providing refuges, care, and rehabilitation.
Monthly, 26 volunteers treat 400 foxes on-site like Meatball, referring 14 severe cases to vets. Driscoll, the chair, lamented:
“I wish people would understand that foxes are sentient beings with familial bonds and emotions.”
She highlighted rising poison use and hunting attempts in cities.
Why Do Vets Hesitate to Treat Foxes?
Despite the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ code mandating emergency aid, many decline foxes. Fox Angels report high costs: over £2,000 for an injured eye, £5,000 for a fractured leg.
This reluctance leaves charities like Fox Angels filling the gap, as in Meatball’s case.
Are Foxes Pests or Protected Wildlife?
Foxes are wild animals, not pests, so councils have no removal duty from properties. This status protects them legally, though public attitudes vary, with some resorting to illegal poisons.
Bermingham’s story underscores coexistence: humans must aid when needed.
What Lessons Emerge from Meatball’s Recovery?
Meatball’s journey shows timely charity intervention works. From October 2024 spotting to viral fame in 2025, and ongoing visits into 2026, it proves mange recovery is possible.
Driscoll urged compassion, countering cruelty trends. For residents spotting mangy foxes, contacting groups like Fox Angels is key—never self-treat without advice.
