As crews from Consumers Energy began constructing 7 miles of the South Oakland Macomb Network natural gas pipeline in a suburban area of Detroit, where the urban environment meets nature, Michigan’s ubiquitous red foxes were frequent and curious visitors—especially a group of about six foxes that would often just sit and observe the work.
Crews started looking for the pipeline’s unofficial mascots. Then, one summer day, an equipment operator said to Adam Fisher, the project’s environmental consultant, “That fox looks so terrible—is there anything we can do to help these guys?”
At least two of the regular visitors had lost nearly all of their beautiful red fur due to mange, a skin disease caused by mites. The constant itching often keeps foxes from hunting, leading to their eventual death—often in just a couple of months.
“One of the rules we do on any project is, ‘Don’t feed the wildlife,’” said Fisher. But this was an exception. He coordinated with a wildlife rehabilitator at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, then with all the foremen of the various crews, to start a medicated feeding program.
Crews took the extra time and effort to fix meatballs out of ground beef, each with a dose of horse dewormer (they later switched to a commercially available “pill pouch” designed for dogs). Then, they had to wait for the foxes, set out the bait and actually watch to see if the fox ate it; the bait couldn’t be left out in case other wild animals or dogs accidentally ingested the medication. The goal was to have each fox take two doses.
Crews were able to provide medication to three foxes and even had the thrill of seeing that one of the foxes had grown back its thick red fur.
Fisher said that as the project started again this spring, crews continued the medicated feeding program. “We’re doing what we can to help,” he said. “And Consumers Energy supports that. Our work with the environment is part of our commitment to building long-term relationships with our communities.”