Urban foxes are a naturalised part of UK city ecosystems but face welfare challenges from conflict with humans, mange, road mortality, and deliberate harm, requiring thoughtful management approaches.
Urban fox welfare requires a coexistence philosophy that recognises foxes as sentient animals inhabiting shared urban space rather than pests to be eliminated. The most significant welfare threats - mange, road mortality, and deliberate persecution - require different interventions. Mange treatment by wildlife charities using licensed antiparasitic medications is effective. Road mortality is difficult to address at the individual level but urban wildlife crossings and reduced-speed zones help. Deliberate persecution is illegal and should be reported. The key coexistence strategy is securing food sources (bins, compost) to reduce the conflicts that lead to anti-fox sentiment and retaliatory harm.