The Fox Breeding project raises serious ethical concerns that demand immediate attention. The selective breeding and confinement of wild foxes for pet ownership disrupts their natural behaviours and subjects them to living conditions unsuitable for creatures designed to roam free. This practice violates fundamental principles of animal welfare, as it prioritizes human desire over the inherent rights of the animals. Such a project must be halted to prevent further exploitation and to protect these animals from ongoing harm.

 

THE WORLD IS NOT BEHIND YOU, JOAKIM

 

Joakim’s Fox Breeding Project – Current Status and Legal Battle
Background of the Project
Joakim Nilsen began a controversial project to domesticate and breed foxes as pets around 2015. He even founded a company (Nordic Fox) to sell fox kits to private buyers (Kan bli forbud mot kjælerev | ABC Nyheter). Nilsen sourced foxes from fur-farm stock that had been selectively bred for tameness (inspired by a famous Russian fox domestication experiment) (Nord-Østerdal, Nyheter | – «Gulli» skal slippe å bli pelskåpe).

By 2016, his efforts gained attention as he advertised “pet foxes” that were socialized, litter-trained, and leash-trained (Kan bli forbud mot kjælerev | ABC Nyheter). There was significant public interest – Nilsen reported “enormous demand” from people wanting foxes as pets (Nord-Østerdal, Nyheter | – «Gulli» skal slippe å bli pelskåpe). His goal was to create a “cuddle fox” – a calm, domesticated fox suitable as a household pet (Nord-Østerdal, Nyheter | – «Gulli» skal slippe å bli pelskåpe).

Legal Challenges and Authorities’ Reactions

From the start, Norwegian authorities warned that Nilsen’s fox breeding venture likely violated regulations. In July 2016, the Norwegian Environment Directorate (Miljødirektoratet) stated that keeping foxes as pets is illegal under a newly adopted regulation banning mink and fox in private homes (Kan bli forbud mot kjælerev | ABC Nyheter) (Kan bli forbud mot kjælerev | ABC Nyheter). The agency was “concerned” and considered Nilsen’s fox sales to be “against the law,” emphasizing that foxes “cannot become pets by breeding” (Kan bli forbud mot kjælerev | ABC Nyheter). Norway’s Wildlife Act and related rules did not explicitly permit owning foxes as domestic animals, which put Nilsen at odds with wildlife and animal welfare laws (Kan bli forbud mot kjælerev | ABC Nyheter). The Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) and the Environment Directorate both informed Nilsen he was breaking the law by breeding and selling foxes this way (Pet Farm | Kosmorama (English)).

Despite these warnings, Nilsen initially insisted he was exploiting a legal gray area. In 2016 he argued that the Wildlife Act “does not forbid selling foxes as pets” in his interpretation (Kan bli forbud mot kjælerev | ABC Nyheter). He continued breeding and selling fox kits, telling buyers he was operating until any “law change or final court ruling” banned it (Kan bli forbud mot kjælerev | ABC Nyheter). However, by 2017 the authorities’ position hardened.

New regulations in 2017 explicitly forbade keeping foxes as pets (via a “positive list” of allowed exotic pets) (Kan bli forbud mot kjælerev | ABC Nyheter). Nilsen’s activities “made national headlines” that year, and Norwegian animal welfare groups grew alarmed (Pet Farm | Kosmorama (English)). The Dyrevernalliansen (Animal Welfare Alliance) ultimately filed a police complaint accusing him of violating the wildlife law (Pet Farm). This escalated the matter into a legal case, with officials even threatening to confiscate and euthanize his foxes if he didn’t comply with the law (Pet Farm - Journeyman Pictures) (Pet Farm).

Nilsen’s Fight Against the Ban

Joakim Nilsen did not back down quietly – he mounted legal challenges to defend his fox project. In 2018, when local authorities even forbade him from walking a tame fox on a leash in public, Nilsen “went to court” to challenge the restrictions (Joakim nektes å gå tur med reven sin - nå går han til sak - Dyresaker i media - Hundesonen.no). According to Norwegian media reports, he sued for the right to continue breeding pet foxes, arguing that his activities should be allowed (Joakim nektes å gå tur med reven sin - nå går han til sak - Dyresaker i media - Hundesonen.no). This marked the start of a drawn-out legal battle. Nilsen was “prepared to sacrifice everything” to save his foxes and keep his dream alive (Pet Farm | Kosmorama (English)).

The case tested the legal boundaries. Nilsen’s fox farm in Oppdal resembled a small fur farm (dozens of foxes kept in cages), except the goal was pets, not pelts (Joakim nektes å gå tur med reven sin - nå går han til sak : r/norge) (Joakim nektes å gå tur med reven sin - nå går han til sak : r/norge). Animal welfare advocates argued that keeping “30 foxes in cages” under such conditions was inhumane and illegal regardless of intent (Joakim nektes å gå tur med reven sin - nå går han til sak : r/norge). On the other side, supporters noted that Nilsen treated the foxes kindly and questioned why authorities prioritized shutting him down given limited resources. The controversy highlighted a clash between bureaucratic regulation and an individual’s unconventional pet project. It also raised ethical concerns: experts asserted that foxes are inherently wild and not suited to life as indoor pets, even if bred for tameness (Kan bli forbud mot kjælerev | ABC Nyheter).

Current Status and Recent Updates

As of the latest reports (2024–2025), Joakim Nilsen has not succeeded in overturning the legal barriers, but he also has not fully given up his project. Keeping foxes as pets remains explicitly forbidden in Norway (Kan bli forbud mot kjælerev | ABC Nyheter), meaning Nilsen’s breeding venture still lacks any official approval. There is no indication that the courts granted him an exception or that any laws were changed in his favor. In fact, festival materials for a new documentary about Nilsen – “Pet Farm” (2024) – confirm that authorities stood firm. Both Mattilsynet and the Environment Agency maintained that Nilsen was in violation of the law, and they moved to enforce the ban (Pet Farm | Kosmorama (English)). The film documents Nilsen’s desperate campaign to prevent the government from euthanizing his foxes and to keep his domesticated fox colony alive (Pet Farm).

Nilsen is still continuing his fight despite the legal and ethical challenges. The very existence of the 2024 documentary (which features Nilsen and his foxes) indicates he persisted with the project for years after the initial 2017 crackdown (Pet Farm) (Pet Farm). By all accounts, he continued caring for and training his foxes throughout the legal battle, effectively stalling enforcement while appeals were underway (Pet Farm). However, he has had to put normal operations on hold – promotional materials note that his “pet project abruptly halts” when the law intervened (Pet Farm - Journeyman Pictures). In other words, he could not freely sell fox pups anymore, but he focused on saving the animals he already had.

No official statement has emerged announcing a final resolution (for example, there’s been no news of the foxes being seized or Nilsen receiving a long-term permit as of early 2025). The latest credible information portrays Nilsen’s status as one of ongoing struggle: he was still fighting through the courts and coping with the toll it took on his health and finances (Pet Farm). Animal welfare organizations continue to oppose his project on ethical grounds, and the legal prohibition of pet foxes remains in force (Kan bli forbud mot kjælerev | ABC Nyheter) (Pet Farm | Kosmorama (English)).

In summary, Joakim Nilsen has not definitively “won” against the legal challenges – Norwegian authorities maintain that his fox-breeding venture is unlawful (Pet Farm | Kosmorama (English)). Nonetheless, he persisted with the project for years, appealing decisions and seeking loopholes to protect his foxes (Joakim nektes å gå tur med reven sin - nå går han til sak - Dyresaker i media - Hundesonen.no) (Pet Farm). As of the most recent reports, Nilsen was still trying to keep his domesticated foxes safe and was the subject of a documentary illustrating his ongoing battle. The project’s ultimate fate remains uncertain, but it is clear he has pressed on in defiance of the ban, continuing his quest to domesticate foxes even amid unresolved legal and ethical disputes (Pet Farm) (Kan bli forbud mot kjælerev | ABC Nyheter).

Sources
ABC Nyheter – “Kan bli forbud mot kjælerev” (July 2016) – outlines the Norwegian Environment Agency’s view that selling foxes as pets is illegal, and Nilsen’s early response (Kan bli forbud mot kjælerev | ABC Nyheter) (Kan bli forbud mot kjælerev | ABC Nyheter).
Kosmorama/Visit Trondheim – Film synopsis for Pet Farm (2024) – provides background on Nilsen’s case, noting authorities (Mattilsynet and Environment Directorate) deemed his fox breeding illegal (Pet Farm | Kosmorama (English)).
BIFF (Bergen Int’l Film Festival) – Program notes for Pet Farm – describe how Nilsen was reported for wildlife law violations and his fight to stop officials from euthanizing his foxes (Pet Farm).
TV2 News (Sept 2018) – as quoted by Hundesonen forum – reported that Nilsen “goes to court to continue breeding foxes as pets,” highlighting his legal challenge to the ban (Joakim nektes å gå tur med reven sin - nå går han til sak - Dyresaker i media - Hundesonen.no).
Reddit discussion on r/norge – “Joakim nektes å gå tur med reven sin – nå går han til sak” – confirms Nilsen had ~30 foxes and faced enforcement, sparking debate on the legality and ethics (Joakim nektes å gå tur med reven sin - nå går han til sak : r/norge) (Joakim nektes å gå tur med reven sin - nå går han til sak : r/norge).
Journeyman Pictures – Pet Farm documentary info (2025) – summarizes Nilsen’s story and the stakes of his battle with regulators (Pet Farm - Journeyman Pictures).