09/13/2026
It's that time of year again, when people start seeing foxes and coyotes with little to no hair, emaciated, skin and bones, rummaging through the trash, hanging out too close to houses, scratching nonstop, and miserable. This is mange. It's awful and studies show that these animals survive approximately 4-6 months on average before succumbing to starvation, or hypo/hyperthermia from having no coat to protect them from outside temperatures. Often, people worry that these animals are dangerous because it's so abnormal to see a fox or coyote choose to be so visible near homes and human activity. A healthy, normal fox or coyote NEVER chooses to root through a trash can, sleep on a driveway or patio every night, or scavenge seeds under your bird feeders. These animals are choosing humans as a last resort because they are desperate and dying.
Whether you truly care about the suffering of these animals, or simply want the animal to stop hanging out so close to your home, there are options. We can help these animals return to their normal behaviors, staying further away from people and residences, by helping them get better. This can be done by contacting a local wildlife rehabber* to trap and treat the animal for mange, or by field treating the animal for mange by offering it medicated bait. If you choose to treat the animal for mange without trapping, please learn more about the Mange by Mail Program at
www.wildlifehotline.com/mange
Despite what you've been told, help does exist. These animals do not need to suffer and die. This is not what nature taking its course looks like. Please help by sharing this post and spreading the word.
*To learn more about trapping and treating please contact a local Wildlife Rehabilitator. Find one near you at www.ahnow.org
