Wildlife

Urban Fox Welfare and Mange Management

Urban fox populations frequently suffer from sarcoptic mange, a welfare emergency that causes intense suffering but is treatable with community effort.

Key Facts

Sarcoptic mange is caused by Sarcoptes scabiei mites burrowing under the skin
Affected foxes lose their fur, develop thick crusted skin, and become intensively itchy
Without treatment, mange kills foxes within 3-4 months through secondary infection and starvation
Homeopathic borax treatment administered in food has been successful in community treatment programmes
The Fox Project and National Fox Welfare Society provide support for mange treatment

Welfare Considerations

Mange causes profound suffering through unrelenting pruritus, gradual blindness from periorbital crusting, and eventual debilitation. Community treatment programmes that deliver medicine in food can cure mange in wild foxes, dramatically improving welfare at no individual welfare cost.

What You Can Do

Contact the National Fox Welfare Society if you see a fox with mange signs
Request a treatment programme from The Fox Project
Leave water out for wildlife during warm weather to support mange-affected foxes
Learn to recognise mange signs: hair loss, thickened skin, and disorientation