The Heartbreaking Reason You Should Never Befriend A Fox

We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/the-1-disturbing-reason-you-should-befriend-a-crow_uk_66278d68e4b00ea555a4ef21">why you should probably be on your best behaviour around crows – they remember faces really well, and can even tell their friends and family about humans they don’t like.

Being kind https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/the-1-disturbing-reason-you-should-befriend-a-crow_uk_66278d68e4b00ea555a4ef21">and even befriending them (while maintaining a safe distance) could get you some serious corvid kudos.

But what about foxes, https://www.varsity.co.uk/science/31007" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">creatures some think might be becoming increasingly domesticated?

You’ve probably seen https://www.tiktok.com/@petbaby6789/video/7530244578465549582" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">viral videos of people treating the wild animals as pets, hand-feeding them and even bringing them into their home. 

We asked James Benwell, a Senior Marketing and Communications Officer at the Birmingham and Black Country https://www.bbcwildlife.org.uk/blog/james-benwell" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wildlife Trust, for his thoughts.

Treating foxes as pets could seriously endanger them

James stressed that it’s important to “ leave out food and water for wildlife in a responsible manner”.

Fox populations https://foxproject.org.uk/pages/foxes-and-the-law" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">dropped 46% between 1995 and 2021, and providing them the sustenance they need to get through, e.g., heatwaves and winter could make a difference.

But “we absolutely do discourage people from hand-feeding, overfeeding or befriending foxes,” he added. 

“Foxes are equally cursed and blessed in being such beautiful, striking animals, and it is no wonder that people are so captivated by them and want to interact with them,” he explained.

“However, in every interaction with wild animals, we have to keep their best interests at heart rather than our own.

Foxes need to retain their wildness in order to survive.

Hand-feeding or overfeeding them can lead to a reliance and overconfidence in humans which could spell their downfall.”

It’s not just that the animals need to remember how to forage and hunt on their own – though that’s part of it.

The expert said we also need to remember that not everyone sees foxes in the same way.

“Foxes have suffered centuries of persecution and vilification at the hands of man,” he reminded us.

And because some people https://foxguardians.co.uk/why-is-it-wrong-to-hand-feed-a-wild-fox/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">might seek to get a seemingly “aggressive” fox culled, “every interaction which causes them to lose their natural wariness of humans could lead them to having a negative interaction with a person, and ultimately could cost them their lives.”

How can I look after foxes safely? 

That’s not to say we shouldn’t have any interaction with the “striking” animals – far from it, James said.

Particularly in urban environments, where wildlife can be hard to find, having a backyard visitor is “one of the most spellbinding interactions with wildlife you could hope to have, and something which can lead to a lifelong love of nature”.

So, he advised, garden with the creatures in mind. 

“Leave out food that can supplement a fox’s natural diet, create areas of shelter, and especially in these hot, dry conditions that we are currently experiencing, leave out plenty of water.”

Some great options include cooked or raw meat, tinned dog or cat food (https://www.scottishspca.org/advice/fox/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">not bones, though), peanuts, fruit (https://www.scottishspca.org/advice/fox/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">except grapes and raisins) and even cheese, per https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/08/what-foxes-eat/?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=923099488&gbraid=0AAAAAD4sptyJ2VF1smbKusHa0pST4UxdT&gclid=CjwKCAjwmozTBhAeEiwAkEGZzrrbO0hA5mtUTuEEUuCXAyd_hRh8f6Nr_UxZ_U0PVDa7F28TObBqwBoCt_sQAvD_BwE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Woodland Trust.

“Whether it be a fox, a hedgehog, a badger or any other fabulous creature which visits your garden, savour every moment of their time with you, but let them live wild and free.

They will repay you more than you could ever imagine!”