Tod is special to me because he is the fox that started it all for me. Although not the first animated fox I'd seen, and though I didn't really care a great deal for foxes when I was in my childhood, I'd seen Disney's 'The Fox and The Hound' as a kid at my grandparents' house and liked it enough to watch it a few times. But then for some reason one morning six or seven years later when I'd just turned 16 I was dozing in bed and then randomly started thinking about Tod. Something just clicked and I became enamoured with him and his species. Then I started to read up on foxes and other media where foxes had appeared, both from what I watched and had yet to discover. Things quickly snowballed.

Two months later I saw 'The Fox and The Hound' again for the first time in years and it was an even better film than I remembered, and Tod was even more lovable than I remembered too. I felt incredibly moved by him having to overcome all those hardships he encountered during the film, and how he had earned his happy ending. Afterwards I had a feeling of elation in me that I remember also feeling after I saw Zootopia for the first time as well.

Other animals I'd taken a shine to were only a passing phase, but the fox just latched on to me and soon I came to realise that this was *my* animal. I am now in my 30s and I am still just as devoted to these amazing creatures as I was when I was a teenager.

Tod was the first of many animated foxes who inspired me, and he is still my favourite fox today. This is actually the first time I have ever drawn him in all digital mediums, in all his sweet natured and adorkable glory, and in case you're wondering where my name Frey came from... well, that'd what Tod is called in the Dutch language of the film, 'Frank en Frey'! There's a factoid for you all ^^.

Thank you, Tod. You made me who I am today. <3