Exotic Pet Fox Missing From White Plains Home

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) - Residents of a suburban New York community are being asked to keep their eyes out for an unusual sight: a tiny, desert fox that escaped from a family's home.

Luna is fennec fox, a species found in the Sahara and Northern Africa.

Jody Lee tells the Journal News that three-pound, nine-month-old Luna slipped out of her harness and darted off on Monday. The Lees have put up fliers around their White Plains neighborhood seeking information about Luna's whereabouts.

Fennec foxes are the world's smallest fox species. They have sandy-colored coats and very big ears.

"She has the bushy tail and has huge ears and she's very, very fast and small," Lee said.

Lee's 15-year-old daughter cared for one at a summer camp for youngsters interested in becoming veterinarians. The family then got Luna from a California breeder.

Lee says her daughter is heartbroken over Luna's disappearance.

"We hadn't had a furry pet before because our allergies, so she was very, very special. Especially to my daughter who she bonded with the most," Lee told 1010 WINS.

Lee said the fennec breed is not the type of animal to come when called.

"They warned us in our research that if your fox got loose, she's not going to come back and she's very likely lost, but we're still trying," Lee said.

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