Fox Control

Red foxes adapt very well to human presence, thriving in areas with farmland and woods, and populations can be found in many large cities and suburbs. Mice, voles, and rabbits, as well as eggs, fruit, and birds, make up most of the diet, but foxes readily eat other available food such as carrion, grain (especially sunflower seeds), garbage, pet food left unattended overnight, and domestic poultry. Their impact on domestic birds and some wild game birds has led to their numbers often being regulated near game farms and bird-production areas.

Across Britain, predation by foxes costs pig producers £966,000 each year. (loss of piglets)

calculated that each year 200,000 lambs are lost at a cost of £6 million for the industry. (this is combined predation foxes and corvids)

0.7% for table chicken producers = negligible costs Due to being housed indoors

24.9% for free range-egg producers = £653,000

16.9% for turkey producers = £221,000

35.4% for goose producers = £440,000

Where there are localised problems, fox control by shooting can effectively reduce these numbers.

Whist many enjoy seeing and feeding urban foxes this is not their natural environment and issues can arise from friendly foxes visiting your garden this includes:

The parasite causing sarcoptic mange in foxes, Sarcoptes scabiei, is a mite that can infect both foxes and domestic dogs. The disease can be fatal in foxes but can be easily treated in dogs but still causing discomfort and a visit to a veterinary practitioner.

Toxocara canis is a kind of roundworm (parasitic nematode) that inhabits the intestine of dogs and foxes. The roundworm sheds its eggs via dog faeces and humans can be infected through direct contact or via contaminated soil. Young children are particularly at risk because they tend to explore the world by mouthing objects and infection with toxocariasis occurs through ingestion of contaminated material

Angiostrongylus vasorum is also a nematode (parasitic roundworm) the heartworm lives in the lung arteries of foxes and dogs. The disease has severe consequences for the infected animal, including heart failure and death. The disease is not easily treated in dogs and the fact that foxes could act as reservoir is a matter of concern.

Control comes in the form of shooting (rural areas) and Live cage trapping (rural and urban areas).