Foxes in towns and gardens
Common name: Fox
Scientific name: Vulpes vulpes
The red fox has become a familiar sight in British towns and cities, not just the countryside. Drawn in by easy food from bins, pet bowls and gardens, urban foxes now live close to our homes, and occasionally beneath them. They are mostly active at dusk and during the night, and while a fox passing through a garden does little harm, a fox that settles in to den, forage and mark territory can become a genuine nuisance.
Foxes are intelligent and wary, which makes them difficult to move on once they have found a reliable food source and a safe place to shelter. The most effective and lawful response is almost always to remove what attracts them and to physically exclude them, rather than to attempt lethal control.
Signs of a fox problem
You may have a resident fox rather than a passing visitor if you notice:
- A strong, musky scent marking the garden
- Droppings left in prominent spots such as the middle of a lawn or on a step
- Holes dug under a shed, decking or building, sometimes with a worn entrance and scattered earth
- Paths worn through borders and under fences
- Repeated night-time noise during winter
- Digging in lawns and flower beds where foxes hunt for grubs
How to deter foxes
Because foxes are drawn in by food and shelter, removing both is the foundation of keeping them away. Most fox problems can be resolved without any need for lethal control.
Remove what attracts them
- Secure bins with tight-fitting lids and clear up any spilled rubbish
- Avoid leaving pet food outdoors, and clear away fallen fruit and bird-feeder spillage
- Feed pets indoors, and never deliberately feed foxes
- Keep compost heaps enclosed so they cannot be raided
Block access and shelter
- Close off gaps beneath sheds, decking and outbuildings with mesh or boarding, but only once you are certain no fox or cubs are inside
- Repair gaps in fencing and secure the boundaries of the garden where practical
- Protect chickens, rabbits and other small animals in secure, fox-proof housing, especially at night
Make the garden less welcoming
- Approved scent-based repellents, used according to the label, can discourage foxes from marking and returning
- Motion-activated deterrents such as ultrasonic units or water sprinklers can move foxes on from favourite spots
- Keep grass short and reduce dense ground cover where foxes like to lie up
It is worth knowing that approved repellents and ultrasonic deterrents are popular precisely because they rely on scent or sound rather than harm, which keeps them firmly within the law.