We routinely humanely trap animals who are in a poor but treatable condition.
Mange
Mange is a significant problem in foxes in Bognor, Littlehampton and particularly in Selsey and Hayling island. It is caused by a mite and leads to hair loss and weakness and can kill the fox.
Treatment: We can send out medication and vitamin supplements. However, in severe cases trapping must be attempted. This is not always easy. We cannot trap and take away a vixen with young, and getting the target fox can mean releasing healthy ones. We have also trapped a cat, rat, hedgehog, to name a few. And more than one fox has taken the bait and not triggered the trap.
Traps can only be set in non public areas and require regular fresh bait. A cloth is used to quieten a trapped fox, and given the hair loss, we cannot afford to have a trapped fox for long, so regular inspections must be made. Any trapped fox has to be kept and released six weeks later because the eggs will hatch and re-infect, unless treatment is prolonged.