Living peaceably alongside intelligent, adaptable and reclusive urban foxes can be a rewarding experience—plus, they help get rid of rats and other rodent populations.

“Having foxes around the home is a great opportunity to learn more about wildlife, and it can increase your quality of life,” Certified Wildlife Biologist Chris Graves says. However, there are times when you might want to learn how to get rid of foxes in your yard. 

If a fox is pestering your pets or poultry, digging holes in your yard or behaving worrisomely, we’ve got you covered. These eight expert-approved humane and safe strategies will help evict these intruders for good.

Fox-Proof Fencing

Exclusion techniques are the best long-term defense against fox trespassers. For fencing to be fox-proof, it must be at least 6 to 8 feet tall, complete with buried galvanized wire mesh (or another suitably tough material) to prevent these deft diggers from getting underneath.

Graves explains that homeowners often overlook grid fencing diameter. To prevent the foxes from squeezing through, he recommends grids are no wider than 3 inches in diameter.

Electric fencing can also be helpful, as can installing coyote rollers on the top of existing fencing to prevent these adept climbers from scrambling over.

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Habitat Modification

Cutting back overgrown landscapes and removing clutter helps prevent foxes from setting up a home in your yard. 

“Foxes like woolly, brushy vegetation for concealment, and, if you’ve had groundhogs or woodchucks that have dug dens, foxes are more likely to occupy these after the other animals have moved on,” Graves says.

Pruning dense shrubs, blocking access to outside crawlspaces, closing sheds, and removing hollow wood piles eliminates those ready-made den spots for foxes.

Remove Food Sources

Graves explains that foxes are opportunistic omnivores, and we often inadvertently offer a range of tasty food sources in our yards that they keep returning for. 

Consider securing trash cans, covering compost piles, removing dog food bowls, and cleaning up fallen fruit, acorns, and scattered birdseed.

If you have pet bunnies or other small furries, bring them in overnight or ensure they have very secure enclosures.

Scent Deterrents

There’s not much science to support many homemade or commercial fox scent deterrents. However, one that has some studies to back its use is coyote urine.

While the studies indicate it works to deter some prey species, Graves says it makes sense that it could work with foxes when you consider where both these canids sit on the food chain.

However, if it works, he points out that this is a temporary fix for getting rid of foxes. Regular reapplication is required (especially after rain), and there’s a chance foxes could become habituated to the scent.

When applying these deterrents, always look for EPA-approved products and only apply after carefully reading the instructions.

Hazing Techniques

If you have foxes passing through and want to encourage them to move along swiftly, hazing can work. Some hazing methods include motion-activated lights or sprinklers, rattling pots and pans, tooting air horns, flashing a torch, or even shouting and waving your arms.

However, Graves points out that this is another temporary solution, and foxes can quickly become habituated.

Dogs

According to Graves, dogs can be effective deterrents for foxes. Sometimes, larger-breed dogs out in the yard regularly can be enough to keep them away, especially around dawn or dusk. However, he warns that a fox might see your small dog as prey. 

Trapping

While Graves says humane live trapping can be effective when targeting an individual nuisance animal, he wouldn’t normally recommend it unless the fox is causing damage. You have to weigh up the ethics, check local regulations, and consider the safety aspects.

In some states, live trapping is only allowed in certain months unless you have a special license, and some require you to use specific types of traps.

Graves points out that relocating the fox to a new area is also often illegal. That means you either have to trap the fox on your property and release it in the immediate vicinity or humanely euthanize it. 

You might not even be able to trap the fox if you don’t use appropriate bait and position the trap in the right hidden spot. Plus, you risk getting bitten if you don’t handle the fox correctly after trapping.

Professional Fox Control

If trapping is required, hiring a professional wildlife control company is sometimes less stressful and safer.

If the fox is out during the day, acting disorientated, overtly aggressive, or having seizures, it could have rabies. While this is rare, in these instances, it’s best to call the police, your local animal control agency, or the Department of Environmental Control.