Songwriter Has Dedicated Retirement to Rescuing Foxes
A Nashville retiree has spent thousands of hours helping rehabilitate red foxes suffering from mange.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Wildlife
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Jerry Vandiver, a 78-year-old songwriter, has spent seven years volunteering at the Walden's Puddle Wildlife Center. He focuses on capturing and transporting red foxes afflicted with mange for treatment at the facility.
Why it matters
Rising habitat development in Nashville has increased interactions between local fox populations, which facilitates the rapid spread of mange among the animals. Vandiver's work assists in managing the health of the local wildlife population as these disease encounters rise.
Walden's Puddle treated 60 foxes in 2026, marking an increase from 44 in 2025. Jerry Vandiver recorded 234 volunteer hours in August 2026 alone.
The players
Jerry Vandiver
A 78-year-old songwriter who has written music for artists including Tim McGraw, Phil Vassar, and Barbara Mandrell.
Walden's Puddle Wildlife Center
A facility dedicated to the care of injured and orphaned wildlife located in the Nashville area.
The details
Vandiver uses trail cameras to track fox movements before deploying traps, which he covers with sheets to keep the animals calm during transport. The 78-year-old has seen his efforts gain public attention, with his Facebook following growing from 325 to 5,000 people.
Timeline
2025: Walden's Puddle treated 44 red foxes.
August 2026: Vandiver recorded 234 volunteer hours.
Early September 2026: Walden's Puddle had treated 60 foxes total for the year.
Culture Shift
The increase in mange cases reflects the broader trend of urban habitat development driving wildlife into closer, disease-prone proximity. This shift forces a change in how community members engage with local wildlife, moving from observation to active intervention.
Residents may see an increase in volunteers using trail cameras and traps to manage local fox health. These efforts rely on public awareness to minimize disturbance to the trapping equipment set in residential or wooded areas.
The takeaway
Volunteering for local wildlife centers provides a direct way for retirees to apply their time toward community conservation efforts. Residents interested in helping should contact established facilities to learn about proper handling and reporting procedures.
Further reading
Learn more about local efforts to protect area animals in the Wildlife section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Times of India.
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