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Mikayla Raines death: Snark subreddit that 'harassed' Save A Fox founder for years finally banned after petition
Kelsi Gantt from Change.org told HindustanTimes.com in an email, “Something awful happened, but the public stood up, and Reddit listened.”
Days after Mikayla Raines’ tragic suicide, Reddit has officially banneda snark subreddit titled ‘SaveAfoxSnark,’ where bullies were believed to have targeted the YouTuber. Mikayla had been dealing with various severe mental health conditions including depression, autism, and borderline personality disorder before her death.
The subreddit was banned after more than 23,000 people signed a Change.org petition urging Reddit to take the action. “The founder of the Fox Sanctuary SaveAFox has recently committed suicide, due in large part to horrendous cyberbullying by the subreddit SaveAFoxSnark and many other wildlife subs. This tragedy could have been prevented so easily. In the year of 2025 we should know by now how devastating and cruel cyberbullying is. It's even a crime in many civilized countries,” the petition read.
It added, “And SaveAFoxSnark is not the only Snark Subreddit. There are many like it who will brainlessly rant and rave and say horrific things about people and groups they have NO understanding of. Snark subreddits about REAL people should not be allowed period, because words have meaning. Words have impact.”
Kelsi Gantt from Change.org told HindustanTimes.com in an email, “This week, Reddit officially banned the SaveAFox snark subreddit—the same forum that harassed Mikayla for years. This outcome didn’t happen quietly or by chance. It happened because more than 23,000 people signed a Change.org petition demanding that Reddit take action. That petition, and the media coverage it generated, made the pressure undeniable.”
“Something awful happened, but the public stood up, and Reddit listened,” Kelsi added.
‘They consistently spread ridiculous claims and rumors’
In a heartbreaking video after the Save A Fox founder’s death, her husband, Ethan Raines, confirmed that Mikayla had been facing online harassment for a long time, not just from strangers, but also from people she knew and others in the animal rescue community. “They consistently spread ridiculous claims and rumors, and being the sensitive human that she was, Mikayla took it all to heart,” Ethan claimed. “And it hurt her. It hurt her a lot. For years, she pushed through the pain of people trying to bring her down.”
“…But this time, it went too far. She couldn’t bear what she was feeling any longer, and she ended her life. It breaks my heart that someone who was selfless and devoted her life to animals could have so much negativity pointed at her,” he added.
Mikayla was known for her dedication in working towards rescuing and caring for foxes and other exotic animals.
Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
