Common Issues

• Digging up gardens
  
  There will likely be a certain amount of disruption to a garden which is part of a foxes feeding ground as it digs for food such as worms and beetles. However, this shouldn't be to the extent that it causes considerable damage. If the digging is concentrated in one place, in a sheltered part of the garden and it is winter or early spring it may be that it is a vixen looking for a den site. In summer it may be naughty cubs practicing their skills. These two possibilities are best dealt with using the general deterrence steps listed below. If the digging is more random and generally in your flower beds consider the fertiliser you are using. Many contain blood or bone meal which of course smells like dinner to a fox. He is digging trying to locate the tasty morsel making that smell. The simplest solution is to change your fertiliser.
  
  
• Fouling
  
  If your garden is the site of excessive fouling then it could be that you are on the border of a territory and so the foxes feel the need to mark there regularly to reinforce their 'ownership'. Follow the steps below for general deterrence.
  
  
• Noise
  
  Some find the noises made by foxes disturbing, largely because they sound like screaming or animals fighting. Most noise made by foxes will be between the months of September and January. In September, cubs leave their parents and seek their own territories. At this point there will be competition between individuals for space. This rarely leads to serious fights and two foxes can sometimes be seen standing on their hind legs, their front legs on each others shoulders, ears back and "cackling" at each other. This is nothing to be concerned about and this period will only last a short time. Then in December foxes mate and can then be heard calling to each other. Again this is nothing to be concerned about and will only last a short time. If foxes continue to make noise outside of these times, or the noise is excessive, then general deterrence as described below should help.
  
  
• Killing of Pets
  
  We've owned rabbits and poultry ourselves so we know only too well how much they mean to their owners. We understand that to see a much loved pet be killed is extremely distressing. However, it is important to realise that foxes are only doing what comes naturally and not to overreact and anthropomorphise by accusing the fox of being malicious or evil. There are often accusations that foxes kill for fun. This is not true - only humans are guilty of this. The old story of a fox in a hen house killing more than it can eat is easily explained. A fox is stimulated to kill by the presence, sound, smell and movement of a prey animal. If there is one such animal it will kill one. If there are thirty its instincts tell it to keep killing. Bear in mind that nowhere in nature would a prey species be congregated and confined in such a small area. The fox lacks the foresight to understand how many it can and can't eat. It is operating on a purely instinctive level.
  
  I'm afraid it is our responsibility as pet owners to ensure that our animals are safe from predators. Make sure that they are housed in a secure run with strong mesh - chicken wire is not sufficient protection. Be sure to shut them into a secure, solid house (add a bolt or padlock) once it gets dark. By following these simple steps it is easy to keep potential prey animals safe from foxes. Remember - wildlife rescues manage to keep foxes in, so it must be possible to keep them out as well!
  
  Cat owners are sometimes concerned as to whether their cats are at risk from foxes. There has never been a documented case of a fox killing a cat. Yes, foxes have been seen with dead cats in their mouths but it is more likely that they have picked up the body of an already dead cat from the road. The average weight of a fox is 5kg, the same as the average cat. Foxes are omnivorous scroungers whose prey tends to be insects, amphibians and rodents. They are not equipped to tackle an animal of equal weight with a formidable set of claws. They're simply not that brave and there are far, far easier meals to be had!

  The problem with lethal control

  Foxes are an extremely well loved British wild mammal and their lethal control is generally frowned upon. It is not something which local councils will involve themselves in. It is illegal to kill a fox using most methods including poisoning, gassing and many types of snare and trap. In addition, these methods will always be ineffective. Foxes are, as mentioned above, territorial animals. There is no such thing as a vacant territory. Fox numbers are controlled naturally by availability of territories and food. Therefore if a fox is removed, either by lethal methods or live trapping, more food and territory space is available so another fox will take over the territory and the spare food will encourage breeding. As long as the food and space available remain constant, so will the number of foxes.
  

  The Alternatives

  "All too often removal of a pest simply provides a space into which individuals from the surrounding area may be drawn and the colony soon recovers and the problems posed by the pest persist".
  
  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: Investigation of the use of semiochemicals for vertebrate pest population control, 2001

  Although live trapping and release might appear to be a humane solution, as the fox is not killed but simply relocated, it is also cruel as well as ineffective. Cruel because the fox is a territorial animal and to dump it in the middle of an alien area will be extremely distressing for the animal. It will struggle to find food, will be challenged by resident foxes and be more prone to being killed on unknown roads. It is ineffective for the same reason that lethal methods are. This would also likely be an offence under the Abandonment of Animals Act.
  
  To solve a fox problem effectively we must remove those things which attracted the fox to the area in the first place. For foxes, this would be food, a safe area and a vacant territory. Start by removing as much of the available food as possible - do not feed the foxes and be sure to remove any other food sources such as food left out for other wildlife and spilt pet food. Make sure that all rubbish is put out in a "wheely" bin to keep it protected. Foxes are omnivores so will eat pretty much anything. Tidy up areas which provide shelter such as overgrown areas and block up potential den sites such as gaps under sheds. You can then also use safe chemical deterrants available from garden centres to send out a message saying "this territory is taken, move along!". Spray or sprinkle these products where foxes dig, mark or foul in your garden and this should encourage them to move on.
  
  For further info see also Fox Project and National Fox Welfare Society