Urban foxes have colonized most British and European cities, generally thriving alongside humans but facing welfare challenges from mange, vehicle strikes, and occasional persecution.
Urban foxes face specific welfare challenges in the city environment. Sarcoptic mange, caused by the burrowing mite Sarcoptes scabiei, causes intense itching, hair loss, skin thickening, and eventually death if untreated. Treatment programs using homeopathic preparations have been discredited; veterinary treatment with licensed medications through wildlife rehabilitation organizations is effective. Vehicle strikes are a significant cause of fox mortality particularly in young foxes dispersing from natal territories in autumn. Deliberate persecution including fox snares, rodenticides, and illegal shooting occurs in some urban areas. Urban foxes typically have a fear of humans that is appropriate for their welfare and coexistence. Feeding of urban foxes is controversial as it may increase population density and reduce foraging range.