Fox

Most fox 'nuisance' experienced by people in urban and suburban areas falls into three categories; digging, fouling and noise. The challenge is to keep foxes out of your garden. The first thing to be said is that trapping the fox for relocation, or even killing it, is a waste of time and money. Without doubt another fox will soon move into the displaced foxes territory and your problems will be back. Better to deter foxes from entering garden in the first place. The best way is with suitable fencing, but there are several means outlined below in our 'How to Control' section.

Your Questions Answered

Q.
our area is over run by foxes sometimes 10-15 can be seen together is this normal for fox numbers? my children are terrified of them and a neighbour insists on feeding them is there any thing at all that my local council can do about it?

A. Hello. I really sympathise with your problem. Urban foxes can be a real nuisance but there is little that can be done to eradicate them. The reason is obvious. Foxes are one of the most adaptable and successful species who have colonised many urban cities Europe wide. Local authorities are loath to take any action as in areas where this has been tried in the past, it has been unsuccessful and expensive. The best course of action is to make sure your garden is unattractive to foxes. They invariably come looking for food, so make sure none is available to them. Put rubbish out on the day of collection, not the night before. Do not leave food out for any other animals and make sure bird feeders are high enough off the ground to not attract the foxes. ( This is obviously an area where you might be at odds with your neighbour. Also remove any attractive shelters. THey love to get under sheds so make sure they have a through draught under them to make them less inviting. To get more information, go to the direct gov website (just type in Foxes and local authorities and it will come up) or thefoxwebsite.org has a lot of information. Interestingly, Channel 4 is showing a program tonight called Foxes Live. It is also on Monday, Tuesday,Wednesday next week and is particularly about Urban Foxes. Might be worth a look.