Urban foxes have adapted successfully to city environments but face specific welfare challenges from human proximity. Understanding these issues promotes coexistence and supports fox welfare.
Urban foxes face welfare challenges arising from their proximity to human infrastructure. Road mortality is the most significant cause of death and represents a welfare impact at both individual and population level. Sarcoptic mange causes severe suffering including intense itching, hair loss, skin thickening, and ultimately death if untreated. Treatment with oral or spot-on ivermectin delivered through baited food can save individual foxes with mange. Human persecution including snaring and poisoning causes illegal suffering. Nuisance control that addresses the causes of human-fox conflict through deterrence rather than lethal control is more effective and welfare-positive.