Urban and rural foxes face multiple welfare threats including sarcoptic mange, road mortality and legal and illegal persecution requiring community action.
Sarcoptic mange causes intense, unrelenting suffering in affected foxes. The mites burrow under the skin causing constant severe itching that drives foxes to scratch continually, creating open wounds vulnerable to secondary infection. Advanced mange results in complete hair loss, thickening of the skin, and a prolonged deterioration toward death over months. The suffering is treatable through a simple homeopathic mange treatment or prescribed ivermectin, meaning most mange cases that are observed could be resolved with community action. Persecution through poisoning, illegal snaring and shooting causes additional welfare impacts on wild fox populations.