'Do not disturb' - Veterinary practice in Sussex urges public not to photograph or pick up fox cubs

A veterinary group has urged the public not to disturb fox cubs by picking them up or taking photographs of them.

Arun Veterinary Group in Sussex said it is the middle of the breeding season and it's very common to see cubs without their mother.

In a post on Facebook, a spokesperson said: "This does not mean they have been abandoned or need help.

"It is normal practice for a vixen to move their litters about and they often have several dens.

"They will always generally come back to find them and the last thing they need is a human picking them up".

"Please do not disturb or intervene with them, unless they are very obviously injured."

The practice highlighted a situation where a member of the public did intervene and brought in an injured fox cub to Chichester Hospital.

They found an abscess after x-raying her back leg.

The cub was given an anaesthetic gas to send her to sleep while the team flushed out the wound.

She was given antibiotics and pain relief and has been transferred to Brent Lodge Wildlife Hospital, where she will be grouped with other cubs her size to be released when she is older.

Arun Veterinary Group added: "Handling unnecessarily or taking 'cute' photographs risks the wild animal becoming either stressed or tamer than is needed.

"Thanks to her anaesthetic this little cub was completely unaware of the photos and we thought it was a great opportunity to share her story."