Foxes are a declared pest under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994.
This means you are legally responsible to:
- prevent the spread of foxes on your property
- contact a pest controller to remove foxes from your property.
Foxes on Council land
There are limits to how foxes can be controlled in urban settings.
We use various methods to deter foxes from creating dens and breeding on Council land, including den ripping. This involves collapsing and digging over the den so it cannot be used.
Foxes on private property
It's the landowner's responsibility to take all reasonable steps to prevent the spread of and control fox activity on their property.
We don't provide any services to prevent, manage or remove foxes on your property. For help finding a licensed pest controller, visit Better Health Channel pest control page.
You can deter foxes from your property by:
- not leaving pet food in outdoor areas
- cleaning up fallen fruit from trees
- using a compost bin or covering your compost heap
- keeping chickens and guinea pigs in secure and roofed coops
- removing objects that foxes can use to climb into neighbouring properties
- restricting access underneath your house
- reporting fox sightings on the Feralscan website
- letting neighbours know if you see a fox on their property or in the area.
Fox behaviour
Red foxes have been in Melbourne since the 1930s. They have adapted to urban environments.
They prey on native and domesticated animals. A mature fox can kill up to 3000 native animals a year.
They scavenge for carrion, fruit and food scraps.
Foxes can roam up to 15 kms per night. They use multiple dens at different times in their lives and may not regularly return to any one den.
Foxes are timid and will flee when disturbed.
They are not associated with transmission of disease in humans and don't present a significant public health issue.
For more information on foxes, visit the Agriculture Victoria website.