Wilf the silver fox was spotted running around Sale (Picture: MEN Media)

A rare silver fox has been spotted running around in Sale.

Residents were confused when they saw the animal in Trafford, Greater Manchester, on Monday and were not quite sure what he was.

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But when images of the fox were posted on Facebook it emerged he was actually a domesticated pet and his name was Wilf.

His owner Ellie Monaghan, 17, and her older sister Jade, 25, rushed to Sale to try and find him but it wasn’t easy bringing him in.


Wilf failed to come to them when called so they had to bring his best friend out – their pet dog.



Once Wilf saw him he quickly ran to Ellie.

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‘He lives in a house at the moment, he is quite young. My mother left the window open. Ellie came down, looked around the house and he had gone,’ Jade, 25, told the MEN.

‘It was not until someone posted on Facebook ‘I have found a fox in Sale’ we found him.

‘We drove around in a car and brought the dog with us, he follows the dog everywhere.’

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Wilf went back to his owner when he saw his best friend (Picture: MEN Media)

Wilf lives indoors with the family at the moment but when he’s older he will move to a pen in the garden.

Ellie added: ‘They are found in his colour in the wild but they are not as common. Most people keep them as pets.

‘I have known about them for a few years. I found a breeder. You have to make sure you know what you are doing, have a pen sorted and stuff before you can take one home.

‘I couldn’t imagine life without him now.’

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Wilf at home relaxing (Picture: MEN Media)

Wilf now has his own Facebook page that was created by Ellie and he is proving to be very popular.

Silver foxes like Wilf, which are a melanistic form of a red fox, were originally farmed for their coats that were used as fur.

Ellie also owns pet raccoon dogs and a Belgian hare.