Mikayla Raines, founder of Save a Fox Rescue and beloved YouTuber, passed away in June 2025, leaving a deep impact on the animal rescue community and her many followers. Her husband, Ethan, announced the heartbreaking news through an emotional video, sharing Mikayla’s long battle with mental health challenges, including depression and borderline personality disorder. Despite her outward strength and compassion, the emotional toll became overwhelming.
Mikayla’s passion for animals started at age 15 after meeting her first fox while volunteering. That moment sparked a lifelong mission to rescue and protect animals, especially foxes. She left college to focus full-time on animal care, later founding Save a Fox Rescue. Her efforts saved hundreds of animals, including one of her most remarkable accomplishments—rescuing 500 foxes from a fur farm facing closure.
Throughout her journey, Mikayla endured harsh online criticism and personal attacks, including from others in the rescue community. Still, she never let that stop her. Her work was guided by empathy and an unwavering belief that animals deserved love, respect, and freedom. Mikayla often shared these values in her videos, where she educated the public and showed her deep connection with the creatures she cared for.
Her passing sparked an outpouring of love from people around the world. Just days before, she appeared smiling in a video feeding a lemur and teaching her daughter to care for animals. Though gone too soon, Mikayla’s legacy lives on through the animals she rescued, the lives she touched, and the inspiration she gave to future generations of animal advocates.