Woman Panics When Rescued Animal Won’t Wake Up, Then Ends Up Apologizing

A video capturing a heart-stopping moment between a rescue worker and an elderly Arctic fox has gone viral on TikTok.
The footage, shared by Kimberly DeFisher (@arcticfoxdaily), a rescue worker at the Arctic Fox Daily nonprofit wildlife sanctuary in New York, has amassed over 13.8 million views since it was posted on October 20. It shows the worker approaching Lulu, a senior Arctic fox, who appears unresponsive while sleeping on a raised bed in her outdoor enclosure.
DeFisher, who has cared for Lulu for nearly a decade, initially intended to film a playful clip of the fox resting. “This was supposed to be a cute video of me sneaking up on a sleeping Lulu,” reads a note overlaid on the video.
However, what began as a light-hearted approach quickly turned tense when Lulu didn’t react to her presence. “She’s a senior now—I’ve had her for 8.5 years—and her hearing’s starting to go,” the note on the clip continues.
DeFisher’s voice can be heard saying: “Hey, sleepy old girl,” while she gently taps Lulu’s head and paws. Yet the fox doesn’t stir, lying still despite repeated attempts to rouse her. Another note across the screen says: “This turned into an ‘oh c***, my heart kind of dropped’ moment.”
The clip then captures DeFisher expressing her concern aloud. “You’re making me nervous. Are you just in a really restful sleep or is something goin’ on here?”
DeFisher’s worry escalates as she gently pinches Lulu’s paw and softly says “I gotta see that you’re gonna move right now, or Mommy’s gonna get real nervous.”
Just as the tension peaks, Lulu awakens suddenly with a squeal, giving DeFisher—and viewers—a sense of relief. In a caption shared with the post, DeFisher wrote: “Caring for animals during their golden years is nerve-racking.”
According to the Arctic Fox Daily website, Lulu arrived at wildlife sanctuary at just seven weeks old, after her previous owners realized that foxes, unlike domesticated pets, have complex needs that make them difficult to manage as household animals.
Lulu had been purchased by well-meaning but unprepared owners. Upon seeing the challenges of fox ownership, the owners contacted a canine rescue and asked them to take her in and the rescue then called DeFisher for help.
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Arctic foxes are highly specialized animals that have adapted to survive in some of the most challenging habitats on Earth. These foxes primarily feed on small mammals, like lemmings, but also hunt sea birds, fish and other marine animals when food sources are scarce.
Arctic foxes face a number of threats, from fluctuating prey populations to disease and genetic pollution from foxes bred in captivity. Additionally, while the demand for Arctic fox fur has declined over time, the species remains vulnerable to hunting by native populations in close proximity to its habitat.
The WWF notes that protecting Arctic foxes is important for helping to safeguard the broader Arctic ecosystem.
Later in the viral video, Lulu gets up and begins moving around her enclosure, seemingly healthy and unbothered. DeFisher, visibly relieved, encourages Lulu to “go get a drink,” adding that the fox was “just overheating in the sun.”
She affectionately tells her: “Please accept my apology,” reassuring her “you can come run around while I clean,” before Lulu is seen trotting away.
DeFisher shared the bittersweet feeling of caring for elderly animals, later saying: “Gosh, having old animals scares me.”
The viral TikTok clip prompted an outpouring of reactions from viewers who empathized with DeFisher’s worry.
One viewer, @doindevthings, commented: “I was panicking with you,” while another user, @happiestdugong, said: “The way I would have started shaking that poor fox in a panic after like 15 seconds.”
Another commenter, @authoroutoftime, added: “There is NOTHING more terrifying than them getting that deep asleep.” User @jenn shared a humorous note saying: “Ma’am you apologizing to her?! She owes us all an apology.”
User @woottonswears humorously said: “Ma’am, you quite literally woke that animal back up from the dead.”
Another TikTok user, @indya, noted: “Girl was having the best sleep of her life and was MAD you woke her.”
Crazy_animal_lady1003 noted: “My heart dropped! She’s like ‘man I was dreaming so peacefully!'”
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