James Benwell, Senior Marketing and Communications Officer at the Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust, stresses that leaving out food and water for wildlife can be helpful if done responsibly. He notes that fox numbers fell by 46 % between 1995 and 2021 and that supplemental feeding during heatwaves or winter may aid their survival.
Benwell, however, explicitly discourages hand‑feeding, overfeeding, or befriending foxes. Such actions can cause the animals to lose their natural wariness of people and become dependent on human‑provided food, which increases the likelihood of dangerous encounters that could lead to the animals being killed.
He explains that although foxes are striking and captivating, they must remain wild to survive. Losing the ability to forage and hunt on their own is an immediate danger that is worsened by close contact with humans.
As a safer alternative, Benwell recommends offering only suitable supplemental foods such as raw or cooked meat, canned dog or cat food (without bones), peanuts, and certain fruits – never grapes or raisins. He also advises providing shelter and plenty of water so that foxes can retain their natural behaviours.