Friendly foxes invade Summerside

Some city councillors in Summerside are growing concerned that P.E.I.'s foxes are getting too accustomed to human company.

Several councillors have fielded calls over the last couple of weeks from residents worried about just how friendly the neighbourhood foxes have become. Councillor Cory Thomas is worried the foxes are so friendly this year that a child will be bitten.

"Usually what happens is people will wait until something happens. And then react. We'd prefer to see it prevented," said Thomas.

"We'd like to sit down and have discussions with Fish and Wildlife. Maybe there's some tweeks to legislation that we could propose, or if there's some ways we could work with them to ensure the safety of the residents."

Thomas said the city has looked at setting up humane traps for the foxes, but provincial wildlife biologist Brad Potter said trapping the animals is not the solution.

"Where would you actually take them? Moving a problem from one person's property to another is not a viable solution," said Potter.

"Foxes are a territorial animal so removing some wouldn't necessarily address the problem. A void would be created that would probably be filled almost immediately."

Potter said he has seen a larger number of foxes this spring. He said the best way to keep foxes out of your neighbourhood is not to feed them.

Potter said there has never been any reported cases of fox attacks on a child on P.E.I.