Information

Pet Dogs and the Red Fox

(Vulpes Vulpes)

Anyone living in any big city in the U.K. will be aware that the red fox is now a familiar sight. This is especially true in the capital. In fact, the iconic photograph of a fox strolling past number 10 Downing Street, the residence of the British Prime Minister, showed just how well-established this animal has become. This has led to concerns that the family pet dog is at risk of attack and at risk of mating with a fox. The other question is. Do foxes carry diseases that are a threat to humans and pets?

Foxes in our cities

Fox’s started to appear in London after WW1, and there are now believed to be around 10,000 in the capital and maybe as many as 350,000 in Britain. These figures are contested by some experts on the grounds that there has never been a proper count. Despite the numbers staying fairly constant, approximately 60% of the fox population is killed by traffic in any one year. The urban fox has adapted to life in the city very well and has found discarded takeaway edibles such as fried chicken and Chinese chow mien very acceptable. There is no evidence as to their appetite regarding curried items, now Britain’s favourite takeaway, but I guess that will be a personal taste and will depend on the heat of the curry!! The rural fox can have a lifespan of up to 10 years. However, the urban fox is unlikely to survive beyond 18 months to two years. The capital’s parks, in particular, are a constant source of free food as residents leave their unfinished meals behind, and even when left in bins, the wily fox has no difficulty in extracting what is available. Whilst the red fox is not universally liked, it does a great service to humans as it is attracted to areas where there is a plentiful supply of rats and mice. There have been proposals to cull the fox population in London but this has never been implemented. London has generally been considered to have the largest population of foxes, but I believe that in 2018, in fact, the town of Bournemouth had, in fact, more foxes per square mile than London or any other town or city.

So why are we talking about the red fox?

There is considerable confusion about what relation a fox is to a dog and what are the consequences of having such an animal loose on the streets of towns and cities.

Some sites refer to the red fox as a type of dog. Some claim it has the characteristics of a cat. So today, we are going to get to the truth and allay any fears that people have.

The issues that cause confusion

Both the red fox and the domesticated dog are omnivores; they both eat meat and vegetation.

They are anatomically similar.

They both have an acute sense of smell and excellent hearing.

The fox is a solitary animal, but the dog is much more pack oriented.

The fox has 34 Chromosomes, but the dog has 78 Chromosomes. Just in case you are wondering, humans have 46, and if you want to impress your dinner guests, chromosomes always come in pairs regarding humans and animals!!

The fox shows many traits associated with felines.

Confused?

Well, both the red fox and the dog belong to the Canidae family. The name derives from the Latin word Canis which literally translates as dog, despite being a different genus and species.

So what conclusions can we derive from these facts

First of all, the red fox is not a cat! It shares many characteristics with felines, but it is nevertheless a dog along with dingoes, coyotes, wolves and jackals. This is a modern scientific fact and contradicts any mistaken belief that the contrary was true.

Despite a number of rumours, to the best of my knowledge, there are no confirmed proven cases of foxes mating with domesticated dogs. It may be technically possible, but it hasn’t happened!!

Attacks by foxes on domesticated dogs are so rare to be negligible and generally only occur if the fox is trapped and sees that there is no escape route.

There are, however, reported attacks on children, particularly when they are asleep.

These events are also incredibly rare, and one always has to be aware that, unfortunately, the British tabloid press appears to be willing to sensationalise these isolated occurrences. At the same time, we need to be aware that the pro-hunting lobby blames the urban fox situation on the hunting ban despite the fact that there is no real evidence to substantiate the claim. The obvious truth is that as we need to provide homes for our increasing population, we are encroaching on the natural habitat of the fox, forcing it out of its natural environment towards an urban lifestyle.