Red foxes have successfully colonized cities across Europe and North America. Urban fox welfare involves managing the complex relationship between foxes, residents, and urban ecosystems.
Urban foxes experience welfare challenges largely caused by the urban environment itself. Road traffic is the leading cause of death, with foxes particularly vulnerable at dawn and dusk. Mange epidemics cause extreme suffering — affected foxes lose fur, become emaciated, and develop severe skin infections. Wildlife rescue organizations treat thousands of mangy foxes annually using homeopathic or antibiotic treatments with variable success. Intentional feeding of urban foxes by residents creates dependency and concentrations that facilitate disease spread. Conflicts with residents often lead to inappropriate attempts at control including snaring, which is both inhumane and ineffective. Coexistence strategies that acknowledge foxes as native wildlife with welfare needs represent the most ethical and practical approach to urban fox management.