TL;DR
Zao Fox Village (蔵王キツネ村) demonstrates poor animal welfare standards and inadequate management of their foxes, rabbits, and guinea pigs. The facility fails to meet both the 1979 Five Freedoms and 2013 Five Opportunities to Thrive guideline for animal welfare. Following three investigative visits and two critical articles published in JAWS Report Vol.91 and Vol.92, the facility has refused further access to the Japan Animal Welfare Society (JAWS) for continued investigations.
Please, do not go to this place or support them financially.
Introduction
During my research for a Tohoku, Japan trip, I discovered Zao Fox Village (蔵王キツネ村) in my search results. This village featuring itself as a tourists destination where visitors can observe numerous foxes in a confined space, and it also allow tourist to pet fox in certain time slot with additional fee.
I initially added this place to my itinerary and began researching it. While the internet is filled with cute photos of foxes from this facility, I discovered concerning reviews on Google Maps and TripAdvisor about animal mistreatment. Wondering about the extent of these issues, I conducted further investigation.
Criticism for Animal Welfare and Management
And it turns out, it’s much worse than I thought.
On Aug. 2nd, 2018, The Dodo published an article: “This ‘Village’ Full Of Foxes Is Not As Cute As It Seems”
- Overcrowding: The foxes are kept in a small, fenced-in space, which is unnatural for these typically solitary animals. This leads to aggressive behavior and competition for food.
- Poor living conditions: The open-air space is dusty and lacks adequate shelter. Some foxes appear emaciated and have patchy fur, potentially due to mange.
- Unnatural diet: Foxes are fed a cat food-like substance and visitors can purchase pellets to feed them, leading to begging and fighting among the animals.
- Caged foxes: Some foxes, particularly the young and sick, are kept in small wire cages with little room to move or display natural behaviors.
- Early separation from mothers: Baby foxes are separated from their mothers too early, which can lead to behavioral problems and other detrimental effects.
- Lack of regulations: There is no oversight or regulation of the breeding practices at Fox Village, raising concerns about the welfare of the animals.
The article argues that Zao Fox Village prioritizes entertainment and profit over the well-being of the foxes. Experts quoted in the article emphasize that the conditions at Fox Village are unnatural and detrimental to the foxes’ physical and mental health. They call for an end to irresponsible breeding practices and the promotion of foxes as pets or entertainment.
On May 18th, 2018, Animal Liberator (動物解放団体リブ) published an article: “38 宮城蔵王キツネ村（180514／宮城県白石市）“
On, Japan Animal Welfare Society (公益社団法人日本動物福祉協会, JAWS) journal “JAWS Report Vol. 91“, published an article: “蔵王キツネ村の視察報告, pp.3-5”
This JAWS (Japan Animal Welfare Society) report documents serious concerns at a fox village facility in Japan. The main issues center around severe overcrowding, which has led to frequent aggressive encounters between foxes, resulting in numerous injuries and health problems. Many foxes show visible wounds, missing fur, and ear injuries.
The facility itself is poorly designed and maintained, with inadequate housing conditions including problematic cage materials, poor sanitation, and improper waste management. The enclosures lack proper space and appropriate safety features, putting both the animals and caretakers at risk.
The report highlights systematic failures in management, including insufficient monitoring of individual animals, inadequate feeding protocols, and lack of proper medical care. There’s also insufficient staff supervision and poor population control measures in place.
The overall conclusion suggests that significant changes are needed to improve the living conditions and welfare of the foxes, as the current situation has created an unhealthy and dangerous environment for the animals.
The next journal “JAWS Report Vol. 92“, published an article: “蔵王キツネ村 経過報告, pp.6”
The Japan Animal Welfare Society (JAWS) has released a follow-up report on the conditions at Miyagi Zao Fox Village, a popular tourist destination, following inspections conducted in summer (June), autumn (October), and winter (January) of this year.
While the facility has implemented some modest improvements, such as installing water heaters to prevent drinking water from freezing during winter months, significant welfare concerns persist. The most pressing issues continue to be overcrowding and frequent aggressive encounters between foxes, particularly around feeding areas.
Inspectors noted numerous foxes with visible injuries, primarily to their faces and heads, with blood stains observed in the snow during the winter inspection. Of particular concern is the breeding/selection area, where 20-30 foxes are confined in a space that offers insufficient room for the animals to avoid confrontations.
The facility employs various housing methods, including both caged and free-range areas, but there are marked disparities in living conditions across different sections. While some areas provide adequate space for the animals, others remain severely overcrowded with insufficient hiding spaces for the foxes to retreat from aggressive encounters.
JAWS acknowledges that while the current conditions may not constitute outright abuse, they still represent inadequate animal care standards. The organization plans to continue monitoring the situation and is considering reporting their findings to local authorities with oversight jurisdiction.
Zao Fox Village Blocks Japan Animal Welfare Society (JAWS) from Conducting Further Investigations
At the end of the JAWS Report Vol. 92, JAWS wrote that they would follow up and conduct future investigations, but I didn’t see any mention of it in the following journal. I wrote an email to ask JAWS if there were any follow-up reports on Zao Fox Village, as a tourist, I would like to know if they have improved after 1 year, and…
JAWS replied to me, stating that:
- “Zao Fox Village has prohibited anyone affiliated with our association from entering the premises. Therefore, inspections cannot be carried out.”
- “We are currently requesting that the health center, which has the authority to provide guidance and entry, inspect Zao Fox Village and provide guidance.”
Conclusion
I’m done. This place not only does not care about animal welfare, at least from 2018 until 2023, but they also prohibit the local animal welfare group from conducting any further investigations, which is absolutely intolerable.
If you search on Facebook or Twitter, you will see more videos recorded by tourist recently, showing that foxes has exactly the same problem which JAWS reported at 2022 and 2023.
Please, do not go to Zao Fox Village.
And do not let your money support this place, allowing them to keep running it in this manner.
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