Too many 'brave' foxes roaming around Summerside, residents say

Summerside, P.E.I., is dealing with a bit of a fox problem as the wild animals are getting more "brave" as time goes on, according to some residents.

The city has always had foxes roaming about, but residents say foxes are venturing further into residential areas in search of food.

Brittany Cahill lives on Duke Street and said foxes hang out in her back yard as well as on the street in front of her home.

Her dog even chased after one, she said, which has her worried.

"I don't want my dog to get loose chasing after it because she's a beagle-lab mix so, of course, she puts her nose down and wants to find their scent," she said.

Up until now, Cahill has "never" seen foxes trek that far into Summerside, as the animals mostly hang around near the boardwalk.

You see their tracks all over our yard. In the winter when there is snow that's all you see is tracks.— Pam DesRoches

But people down by the water have been feeding the foxes, she said.

"I understand they look cute, and I would be tempted to feed them because they're skinny looking and I'm an animal lover, but I also know that they hunt, they need to do that on their own," she said.

"And if we're feeding them they're just going to keep coming."

Foxes around 'all the time'

At the northern end of Summerside, Pam DesRoches said in the past a fox scurried after her dog and up to their front doorstep. She also said the presence of the animals in her trailer park off MacEwen Road is more obvious than before.

"You see their tracks all over our yard. In the winter when there is snow that's all you see is tracks," she said.

Day or at night, you can find foxes "all the time" in that area because some neighbours are feeding them, she said.

She hasn't chatted with her neighbours about the issue, and she hasn't reported it to the city or a councillor because she "didn't think they'd do anything about it because there is so many of them here."

City defers to the province

Coun. Carrie Adams said she's received many texts, calls and private messages from her constituents about the fox problem.

"We have heard many people in our area say that the fox population is getting more and more each year," she said. "They are more brave and they are more numerous than they've been in the past."

She sees foxes running through her yard daily and even saw a battle between a skunk and fox on her property.

Though she hasn't had a fox approach her family, Adams said her neighbour had a run-in with a fox that "did not back down."

"That sort of puts a little bit of fear in them whenever they have small children, and if children have food in their hands," she said. 

"That might lead to more dangerous behaviour and they might be appearing aggressive but they're hungry and somebody is likely feeding them in the area."

Adams said she put in calls to see what the city could do about the foxes, but it's deferring to the province's Fish and Wildlife Division.

We have heard many people in our area say that the fox population is getting more and more each year.— Carrie Adams

"Unfortunately, we as a city don't have the expertise or the personnel to deal with foxes or that type of wildlife so we always refer to the province."

The Fish and Wildlife Division, however, do not remove problem wildlife, according to its website. It only deals with injured wildlife.

For more information on what to do if more wildlife are showing up near your property, visit the province's People and Wildlife page.

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