An East Lansing animal sanctuary seeks security upgrades after foxes released

• Nottingham Nature Nook in East Lansing lost two foxes after trespassers left the enclosure open overnight.
• Nottingham's founder says it's disappointing to have to increase security measures, and it's tainted what once was a safe and secure sanctuary.
• Video shows Nottingham's founder describing the feelings left in the aftermath, and how neighbors can offer support.

(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)

I'm your East Lansing Neighborhood Reporter Colin Jankowski. Nottingham Nature Nook in East Lansing is asking for your help after trespassers left this gate open overnight, and set two foxes free from their enclosure.

Cheryl Connell-Marsh is the founder of Nottingham Nature Nook.

"This place has always been a sanctuary," Cheryl said. "This has always been a safe place for animals. It's always been a safe place for people."

But that changed late last month.

"It was this feeling of violation," she said. "Like I've heard people talk about when their house is robbed, what they feel like. To think about somebody else being in there."

Colin Jankowski

Cheryl says the foxes were set free by trespassers. Now over a week since losing the foxes, Cheryl says her grief has turned to anger.

"I'm angry that I have to put padlocks on all my enclosures," Cheryl said. "I'm angry that I have to have cameras everywhere to keep things safe. That's not what this place is about, and those people in five minutes of not thinking about what they were doing took that all away from me. Took that all away from everything that is Nottingham Nature Nook."

And now, she says they are asking for the community's help to afford their new security measures.

"We do have a PayPal donation fund going right now for that," Cheryl said. "The cost of the cameras, the cost of the padlocks, the cost of the people that are going to do it for us."

You can find a link to donate to Nottingham Nature Nook here .

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