A Hampshire man who runs a fox rescue centre has been ordered to remove the animals from his own home following a complaint from a neighbour about noise and unpleasant odours.
Council Issues Notice Following Complaint
Steve Mason, 68, who operates the Second Chance Fox Sanctuary in Baddesley, Hampshire, has been served with a formal notice by Test Valley Borough Council. The notice demands he removes the foxes from his residential property and forbids him from keeping them there in the future. This action was taken ahead of a potential Community Protection Notice (CPN), triggered by a single neighbour's grievance.
Mr Mason, a dedicated animal lover, strongly disputes the claims. He insists that any noise heard originates from wild foxes in the vicinity, not from the animals under his care. He also maintains that his property does not produce offensive smells, as the enclosures are cleaned meticulously every day.
Intensive Care for Vulnerable Foxes
The sanctuary founder only brings foxes into his home when they require critical, round-the-clock medical attention that cannot be provided at the main sanctuary site. He is currently caring for two such foxes named Henderson and Fenton.
Henderson is battling toxoplasmosis, a condition Mr Mason compares to Alzheimer's in humans. This fox needs daily bathing, antibiotics, and constant monitoring, which Mr Mason describes as "physically impossible" to deliver off-site. "He spends most of the day in the house with me," said Mr Mason. "He's a very clean fox and incapable of making noise because of his condition."
Fenton, formerly kept as a pet in London, requires careful socialisation after five years of only human contact. He must be slowly introduced to other foxes at the sanctuary.
A Sanctuary Facing Repeated Challenges
This is not the first hurdle for the Second Chance Fox Sanctuary. Established in 2023, it faced closure last year when its previous landlord asked it to leave. A public petition garnering over 2,000 signatures helped secure its current location at Ampfield Riding Stables.
The sanctuary now cares for eight foxes in total, supported by seven volunteers. Mr Mason fears the council's order could severely impact animal welfare. "If they stop me bringing a fox into my property, I won't be able to treat them at all," he stated. "That would mean I'd have to find another rescue centre to take them to, and in many cases that just isn't possible. The foxes would suffer."
He plans to return both Henderson and Fenton to the main sanctuary within a fortnight, as they continue to make steady progress. However, he warns that any future CPN would prevent other foxes in need of urgent treatment from receiving the lifesaving care he provides at his home.
