Today we’d like to introduce you to Jolene Matousek.
Hi Jolene, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I actually decided I wanted to be a wildlife rehabber when I was about ten. I was always finding baby animals needing help and had nowhere to turn. It wasn’t until I was 18 and moved to Howell that I found the Howell Nature Center and started volunteering. For years, that’s what I focused on, small mammals, late nights, and learning by doing. After I got my own permit I was initially focused on squirrels, and raccoons but have helped anything from mice to fawn. I was the person everyone called at 1 AM. I never said “No.”
Then in 2022, everything changed. I took in my very first fox and instantly fell in love. Not long after, I adopted my first permanent fox, Felix, and that’s when it clicked for me: sanctuary work was where my heart was. Wildlife rehab is heartbreaking, and the industry is harsh. Shortly after adopting Felix, and then taking in a wild born Coyote Hybrid, Yodi, I realized that my real passion was with wild canines, and I started pouring myself into educating people about coexistence and caring for the animals that most folks don’t understand.
In 2023, we had a house fire, and honestly, that was one of the hardest chapters of my life. My husband was busy rebuilding our home, and I was basically running the organization alone. But weirdly enough, that’s when everything really took off. We grew from just six foxes to over twenty-five permanent residents in the blink of an eye. People started reaching out, animals needed placement, and word about our work started spreading. We’ve worked closely with SaveaFox, Foxes Journey and some other wonderful organizations and helped find placement for countless animals, including a wolf dog that we raised in our home over the summer. Trust me, he would have stayed but he wasn’t legal. He now lives at Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary in New Mexico.
Now, we’re home to 34 permanent residents, including two wild-born non-releasable foxes. Including Roo, who’s a front-leg amputee, and Noodle, who lost an ear after a severe infection before coming to us. Each one has their own story, personality, and reason for being here.
It wasn’t until 2024 that I finally got real help. Amazing volunteers started coming in, and they’ve played a huge role in shaping who we are today. What started as a childhood dream and a one-woman operation has grown into a full sanctuary and educational program centered around compassion, coexistence, and giving these animals the life they deserve. We’re still growing and evolving, and I’m blessed to have found my niche.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not ; but I don’t think anyone in rescue would expect it to be.
In the early years, it was the people who were the most difficult, not the animals. Wildlife rehab can be surprisingly catty and competitive. As opposed to everyone working together, there were times when I felt like I had to defend myself just for trying to help animals. That was tough, especially when I was still finding my footing.
Additionally, I had almost no funding and no volunteers when I started. The only person handling everything was me , with my husband helping; intakes, medical care, feed runs, enclosure construction, admin work, fundraising, social media, everything. My husband built our first enclosures by hand. No directions, no plans. We found ourselves rebuilding those same enclosures as the sanctuary grew, making them bigger, safer, and stronger for the permanent residents. It was constant work, and it never slowed down.
Loss is always the most heartbreaking part. No matter how experienced you are, losing an animal you fought for never gets easier. Some arrive too sick, too injured, or too far gone. You learn to celebrate the wins, but the losses stay with you.
And then there was the fire. That was absolutely devastating. Within a blink of an eye, we lost our home, and I was left to run the rescue by myself, while my husband rebuilt everything from scratch. We were caring for animals while living in chaos. Managing smoke damage, raising 2 kids, our personal pets and still taking in wildlife because the calls never stop. Ironically, that was also when the organization’s biggest growth spurt happened. I was juggling an exploding sanctuary while our actual house was being rebuilt around us.
It took time, but eventually things started to shift. Volunteers came. Support grew. Enclosures were rebuilt again- this time bigger and better. The road definitely hasn’t been smooth, but every challenge has made us stronger and pushed the sanctuary to become what it is today.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At our core, we’re a wildlife sanctuary that focuses heavily on foxes and other wild canines, but we’re a bit different from most sanctuaries. Many places only take in non-releasable animals, but we actually do both: full wildlife rehabilitation and lifelong sanctuary care. That means we’re treating injured wildlife, raising orphans for release, and providing permanent homes for animals who can’t go back to the wild. That combination really sets us apart.
We’re especially known for our work with foxes who have mange. In some of the most severe cases of mange, people trust us because of our experience and expertise in treating it. Additionally, we provide guidance and traps for the general public to help them get here. Being able to give those foxes a real chance at recovery is something we’re proud of.
Our sanctuary spaces have grown tremendously, and that’s something I am most proud of. Thanks to the support of our community and some amazing volunteers, we have built new, larger enclosures that improve the quality of life for our permanent residents. We are so fortunate to have wonderful volunteers who provide enrichment to the foxes – everything from puzzles to toys to spending time with them and feeding them chicken jerky so they can bond with one another and gain mental stimulation.
We also provide medical boarding for fox owners who need temporary help caring for sick or injured foxes, as well as other sanctuaries. Our goal is to stabilize the animals, keep them comfortable, and provide supportive care until they can be seen by a veterinarian. It’s a service that fills a really important gap, and we’re grateful to be able to offer it.
What matters most to you? Why?
Providing a stable, healthy, and happy home for the animals in my care is what matters most to me. Many of our residents came from difficult situations, and being able to give them safety, consistency, and love means everything to me.
In addition, I am deeply concerned about leaving a positive mark on the world. Educating people about coexistence, changing the way foxes and coyotes are viewed, and inspiring others to care about wildlife is just as important as the hands-on work. If I can help even a few people see these animals with more understanding and compassion, then I know I’m making a difference.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://felixfoundationfoxsanctuary.org/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/motherofmanyfoxes
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivingWithFoxes
- Other: https://felixfoundation.printify.me/
