Fox advice
This page provides advice in dealing with foxes in the borough.
Each year we receive a number of requests for help and advice in dealing with the problems associated with foxes. We monitor the number of complaints and enquiries regarding the fox population in the borough and we also provide advice.
Foxes in towns and cities
Foxes are attracted to gardens as it may provide a safe place to shelter as well as an abundant food supply. Foxes tend to prefer areas of low density housing with relatively undisturbed gardens. Their common breeding sites are under garden sheds.
Foxes are very active at this time of year and the noises they make often become a nuisance to some of Lambeth's residents. At this time of year fox cubs will often dig in gardens and play with garden items as a form of learning before moving into their own territory. During late July until mid October the cubs will start moving independently and they will also make more noise than during the rest of the year.
Complaints about foxes arise from the animals digging and fouling in the garden.
Each year, the greatest single cause of fox deaths is road traffic accidents.
Feeding foxes
Please do not feed foxes: Foxes in Lambeth are not starving, in urban areas there is normally enough food to support them.
Feeding foxes is a problem because:
- It affects their health. The food that foxes receive from people may lack nutrients which are essential for the animal's well being. Overfeeding is also to be avoided as this causes problems with fouling in small areas or neighbouring gardens.
- It attracts vermin and is a risk to human health. Left over food attracts mice and rats.
- It makes them dependent on people for food. Foxes are wild animals and they are perfectly capable of feeding themselves. Feeding foxes may cause them to lose their natural fear of humans and as a consequence they may come into close contact with people who may be frightened of them. Tame foxes may even enter homes via a cat flap or open door.
As humans expand their living areas and foxes expand their range as well, contact is inevitable. Most of the time, foxes go out of their way to avoid humans, but they are discovering that humans are a good source of food. Resourceful and adaptable as foxes are, they will take advantage of this when they can.
The best thing you can do for wild animals is leave them alone, unless they're injured.
Controlling fox numbers
There is no specific law requiring the council to control foxes as there is for other forms of pests.
Culling or trapping foxes is not recommended
Culling by shooting or trapping foxes may appear to provide a simple answer to the problem. However, research suggests that culling foxes is expensive, difficult to carry out and rarely successful. It provides only a short term solution. When a fox or a population of foxes are removed from an area they are soon replaced by one or more from a neighbouring territory. This is because an area has been left vacant with food available.
How to keep foxes away
We can no longer provide a deterrent treatment as the only chemical licensed for this purpose has been withdrawn.
The most humane and long term solution to discourage foxes from your garden is to remove or prevent access to what attracts them to the area. If you find that you have foxes in your garden and wish to deter them you can do the following.
Remove the attraction
The most likely reason a fox enters your garden is to search for food.
- Keep all domestic rubbish in wheelie bins or closed containers instead of in plastic bags.
- If you use bags for your rubbish only put them out on the morning of collection.
- Make sure all domestic animals and livestock are securely caged or fenced in.
- Do not leave food out for other animals, for example food for cats, dogs, or rabbits. Be extremely careful where you put food out for birds - ideally this should be in approved feeders.
- Clear away fruit that has fallen from trees.
- Bring toys, shoes etc inside at night as cubs like to chew these items and play with them.
Seal holes and get rid of hiding places
Foxes may also be attracted to your garden as it may provide a safe place to shelter by day or night. This may be overgrown or neglected areas or holes beneath a building.
- Protect holes using heavy duty mesh, making sure that it is securely fixed to any building and buried to a depth of 12 inches (30 cm) into the soil to prevent the fox burrowing under the mesh.
- Clear your garden of overgrown areas and accumulated rubbish as these provide shelter for foxes.
- Keep your garage, greenhouse and shed doors closed.
- Ensure that air bricks leading under your house are in good repair.
- Secure fencing and blocking any gaps.
- Prickly plants around the garden may also deter foxes.
Use approved repellents
If you wish to prevent foxes using an earth in your garden or to block their access routes, a range of suitable repellents are available from garden centres, hardware and do-it-yourself (DIY) stores. Please note that only approved products can legally be used and they must be used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
Other non-approved products are not permitted by law and they may cause harm to other pets. Any chemicals used as a repellent are covered under The Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 where it states, that only approved chemicals may be used.
Repellent solutions
You can soak garden twine, rags or wood in repellent solutions and place them around your garden or in specific areas such as in holes. You will need to reapply the solution regularly to make sure it is effective. These repellents have strong pungent smells. Make sure you prevent any smell nuisance to neighbours.
Scent neutralisers
Scent neutralisers can discourage foxes from fouling specific areas. This product reduces and neutralises the scents left behind by the fox from its faeces or urine. You will need to remove faeces left by foxes and apply the scent neutraliser to the area. Like repellents, scent neutralisers must be renewed regularly to remain effective.
Checking effectiveness
After a few days of using repellents and scent neutralisers, check to see if they have worked by lightly blocking the entrance or access holes with soil. The soil can be easily pushed out if foxes are still occupying the holes. If after a week the entrance holes have been undisturbed, you can be certain that the holes are not occupied. Fill these holes with bricks as these are difficult to dig out and will prevent foxes from returning to the site.
Further help
We can send you an advice leaflet with further advice. Please call 0207 9268860 to request one.
Further help and advice is also available from: