She dedicated her life to giving voiceless animals a second chance — now, her own voice has fallen silent.
Mikayla Raines, beloved fox rescue activist and YouTube star, has tragically passed away at just 29 years old.
In 2017, she launched Save A Fox, which eventually grew into the largest fox rescue in the U.S., with locations in Minnesota and Florida. Her mission? To rescue and rehabilitate injured or discarded exotic animals, especially those from cruel fur farms.
“She was never in it for fame, money or personal gain,” Ethan emphasized. “From a young age, she dedicated every waking hour of her life to helping them—whether it was helping a snapping turtle cross the road or saving 500 foxes from a terrible fur farm.”
Her online following reflected her reach: 2.4 million YouTube subscribers, 558,000 Instagram followers, and millions more across TikTok and Facebook. But behind the viral videos of foxes, lemurs, and raccoons was a woman battling demons few saw.
“She took everything to heart”
According to Ethan, Mikayla had long struggled with her mental health. Diagnosed with autism, borderline personality disorder, and depression, she sought treatment for years — therapy, medications, and community support.
But the internet, which once embraced her passion, turned cold.
Mikayla became the target of a relentless online harassment campaign, Ethan said.
And what hurt most? Many of the “rude words, accusations and name-calling” came from others in the animal sanctuary world — including people she once called friends.
“They spread false rumors,” Ethan explained. “And being the sensitive person she was, it deeply affected her. She tried for years to push through the pain, but this time it was too much.”
He described how her deep empathy — what made her such a remarkable caregiver— was also her undoing. “She was so sensitive to everything… it allowed her endless empathy for those in her care. But it also means that she took everything negative to heart.”
A shocking and sudden loss
Just one day before her death, Mikayla appeared on Instagram, playfully interacting with a lemur while Ethan joked about life with an animal lover. No one imagined what would follow.
Ethan said he performed CPR on Mikayla for 15 minutes before first responders arrived, but despite their efforts, it was too late.
“She felt as if the entire world had turned against her,” he said. “It breaks my heart that someone who was so selfless and devoted her life to animals could have so much negativity pointed at her.”
Continuing her mission
Now, Ethan is determined to carry on her legacy. “I will continue her dream,” he said. “And I hope to have your support going forward so that we can do good in her name.”
Mikayla leaves behind not just a heartbroken community of animal lovers, but also a young daughter, Freya. “She’s heartbroken,” Ethan added.
Tributes have poured in from animal organizations around the country. The Juniper Wildlife Refuge wrote:
“So many in our community have foxes that only came to us because of Mikayla’s dedication to her mission and empathy toward animals… We will all carry a small piece of her light that lives on through them.”
