Frequently Asked Questions

I’ve found a dead fox, what can I do?

Unfortunately, due to the amount of time we spend dealing with fox rescues, we are unable to collect dead foxes.

If the fox is on a public highway or public land, removal is usually the responsibility of Highways England or your local council. If the fox is on private property, it is the landowner’s responsibility.

Most vets will take the body for communal cremation if you can get it to them, but we recommend calling ahead first.

Should I feed foxes, and what should I feed?

If you choose to feed your local foxes, we recommend support feeding only. This means giving small amounts of nutritious food rather than large regular meals.

Scatter food around instead of putting it in one pile, vary the times you feed, and miss a day or two each week. Please do not feed foxes by hand or encourage them to trust people.

Overfeeding can change natural behaviour, reduce territory size, increase conflict and put foxes at risk from people who do not like them.

Are foxes a danger to cats?

Foxes do not generally pose a danger to cats. In most cases, foxes and cats co-exist without issue, and cats often have the upper hand.

The only real time a fox may be defensive is during cub season, when a vixen is protecting a den or very young cubs.

If a fox is seen carrying a cat, it is far more likely that the cat has sadly been killed in a road traffic accident and the fox is scavenging.

I’ve seen a fox limping, can you help?

Most limps are caused by soft tissue injuries such as strains and sprains. These are common in foxes because of their active lives and the amount of jumping and climbing they do.

If possible, please try to get a video of the fox moving so we can assess the injury. In many cases, monitoring for a couple of days is better than rushing to trap, as trapping is stressful and always a last resort.

If the leg is swinging, flopping, or sitting at an odd angle, this may be more urgent as the leg could be broken.

I have a fox with mange, can you help?

Foxes can suffer from canine sarcoptic mange, a condition caused by mites that burrow under the skin. It causes intense itching, fur loss, broken skin and, in more advanced cases, crusting and conjunctivitis.

A photo is very useful so we can assess the severity. Mild cases may be supported with advice and good nutrition, while more serious cases may need conventional treatment or trapping.

Read more about mange

I’ve just seen an injured fox that is now out of sight, can you help?

One-off sightings are very difficult to deal with. Unless the fox is collapsed or barely mobile, it can be almost impossible for us to locate once it has moved out of sight.

If you can find someone whose garden the fox visits regularly, and they are able to feed it, we may be able to advise treatment in food or arrange trapping if needed.

Unfortunately, treatment or trapping is not usually possible with random sightings on public land or in unsecured areas.

I’m concerned that a fox is not fazed by people.

Video footage is very important in this situation. A fox that appears tame or overly friendly may have neurological issues, or it may have learned to associate people with food.

This can happen when a fox has been hand-fed, spoken to, or encouraged to approach people. Sadly, this can put the fox in danger.

If there are signs of genuine neurological problems, the fox may need trapping. If it is learned behaviour, the best advice is to stop feeding in this way and discourage the fox from approaching.

Do you allow visitors to your site?

Unfortunately, we do not allow visitors to the rescue. It would be far too stressful for the foxes in our care.

We avoid contact as much as possible, keeping time in the unit limited to cleaning and feeding. Foxes are wild animals and naturally fear humans, so an open-door policy simply would not be fair on them.