Can I feed foxes?
Individuals are perfectly at liberty to feed foxes. In fact, in large cities over 60% of a fox's diet is made up of handouts from suburban residents. Many people derive a great deal of pleasure from observing the nocturnal habits of this urban character and regularly leave out cheese, chicken carcases, fat scraps and other kitchen waste. However, it is a common misconception that urban foxes must be supported in this way: There is no evidence to suggest that even in winter, foxes would starve if it were not for these handouts. Foxes are biologically programmed to live off live game and will only use food left out for them as a 'top-up' to their diets.
However, there are pitfalls in this pastime: not all people share a fascination for foxes and the appearance of one can cause a great deal of distress to some people. Excessive or irresponsible feeding may attract large numbers of foxes together with other scavengers, creating an unnecessary nuisance to neighbours and local residents.
It is not a good idea to leave food out for both birds and foxes, as this only makes the birds more vulnerable to attack. Urban foxes are generally used to humans and can learn to take food from feeder's hands and even to enter homes. It is often a temptation to gradually tame a fox with a view to making it a pet: foxes do not make good pets, even when reared in captivity and in any case, foxes which do become too used to man can lose their ability to cope with the dangers posed by their environment.
Appropriate feeding can be of benefit to the individual and the animal, but avoid making your fox too tame or too bold.
If you would like any further information please contact us on 01329 236100 or e-mail regulatory@fareham.gov.uk.
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