Foxes Take Over London's Gardens and Homes
Residents across central London are reporting a dramatic increase in sightings of urban foxes, with the animals becoming as common a sight as delivery riders on many streets. From the elegant garden squares of Belgravia to the multi-million-pound properties of Kensington, these tawny visitors are no longer a rarity but a persistent feature of city life.
One west London resident described a recent encounter with an adult dog fox, the size of a large corgi, which sauntered into their garden with a "magnificent bushy tail." Despite attempts to scare it away, the animal stood its ground, eyeballed the homeowner, and continued a leisurely tour of the premises before jumping into a neighbour's garden.
Extreme Measures: The £44m Electric Fence
This growing epidemic has driven some to take drastic action. Multi-millionaire businessman David Walsh has decided to erect an electric fence around his £44 million Notting Hill home to keep the foxes at bay. His decision, prompted by his wife's fear of the animals, has been met with howls of derision from local objectors who find the fence unsightly and excessive, adding a "touch of Wormwood Scrubs" to the elegant enclave.
Yet, for those who have suffered the consequences of a fox's visit, such measures may not seem so unreasonable. The creatures are more than just a nuisance; they are becoming urban troublemakers, responsible for a trail of destruction and even serious health issues.
A Personal Trauma: From Sofa to Scabies
The hidden danger of these animals was brought home painfully for former Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman. One afternoon, she entered her sitting room to find a small, greyish fox curled up on her sofa, watching Netflix after wandering in through open kitchen doors. After she and her partner David chased the intruder out, she sat down in the same spot.
Minutes later, she felt an itch. Within hours, a vivid red rash emerged. What followed was a medical nightmare. Multiple GP visits, trips to A&E, and consultations with leading London dermatologists failed to diagnose the agonising, spreading condition. Steroids and antibiotics provided no relief.
It was only when a dermatologist took a sample, after a suggestion from her ex-husband, that the shocking truth was revealed. The diagnosis was human sarcoptic mange resulting from infestation with the dog/fox scabies mite. The specialist noted it was the first such case he had seen in over 30 years of practice.
Shulman's treatment involved weeks of applying a foul-smelling lotion used for head lice. A planned holiday to Croatia was cancelled. Fortunately, this type of scabies is not contagious between humans.
Property Damage and Nighttime Raids
The health scare is an extreme example, but the daily disruption caused by foxes is widespread. They are notorious for scattering rubbish, dragging plastic bags and takeaway cartons between gardens, and knocking over recycling bins. They damage fences by digging holes and tearing away slats, and leave their faeces—fox scat—on doorsteps and windowsills.
In a particularly unsettling incident, Shulman's stepdaughter returned home one evening to find shoes littered throughout the house, some destroyed. The culprit was a fox that had likely entered via a broken catflap, turning a home into its personal playground.
Despite the growing problem, no effective solution to the UK's fox epidemic has been found. The animals are protected under various laws, and culling in urban areas is highly controversial and often impractical.
As a result, Londoners are left to cope with these "predatory exotic vermin," sharing their neighbourhoods whether they like it or not. In the face of such persistent intrusion, disease, and damage, the idea of an electric fence, however extreme, is beginning to seem less like an overreaction and more like a logical, if desperate, form of defence.
