Ziggy the fox rescued after wandering the ice for days in the barnegat bay
Ziggy - Photo by Dr. Mei-An Raicer

Ziggy the Fox Rescued After Wandering the Ice for Days in the Barnegat Bay

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1 min read
January 22, 2025

In a heartwarming twist straight out of a Disney movie, Ziggy the fox (aka Little Foot) has survived a wild misadventure that had the internet rooting for him. The scrappy red fox, who somehow ended up on a rogue floating dock in Seaside Park, NJ, is now getting the care he so desperately needed—and it’s giving all of us the feels.

For weeks, Shane Coyle, an animal rescuer and Ziggy’s unofficial hype man, had been trying to capture the elusive fox. But Ziggy was clearly living life on his own terms—until the floating dock incident. The situation escalated on Saturday when a photo of Ziggy, looking both majestic and helpless, went viral on social media. The world collectively panicked, especially as a storm loomed.

Fast-forward to Tuesday, and it seemed like a grim ending was in store. But plot twist: Ziggy was alive! Coyle, who was initially heartbroken, couldn’t contain his excitement when he shared a video update announcing the good news. Ziggy’s now receiving VIP treatment (that’s Very Important Predator, obviously) at Bayshore Veterinary Hospital, where he’s being nursed back to health.

Dr. Mei-An Raicer, the vet taking care of Ziggy, shared updates on his recovery. This little survivor is battling a mite infestation that’s left him with scabs on his ears and face, but he’s on antibiotics, pain meds, and a proper diet. Spoiler alert: Ziggy’s eating, which is a huge win for his recovery.

This whole saga has become a rallying cry for animal lovers. People scrambled to help, posting updates, sharing resources, and even braving stormy weather to track Ziggy down. Now, thanks to everyone’s efforts, this resilient fox is on his way to a full recovery.

If Ziggy’s story doesn’t restore your faith in humanity (and foxkind), what will? Keep thriving, Ziggy—we’re all rooting for you!

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

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