HOW CAN I SUPPORT A LIMPING FOX?
There are multiple reasons why a fox may become lame. Only a vet can diagnose what they are. It may be a sprain or a bite injury or break pr something else. If you spot a lame fox in your garden, providing (extra) food can be helpful for the fox as they may rest up which may help to heal the injury. Do take a video that shows how the animal is moving and share it with your local rescue organisation and/or vet for further advice on how to proceed.
An old break may have reset in which case the fox most likely has adapted to this slight disability and lameness. Interestingly a study on Bristol foxes conducted by Professor Stephen Harris, a leading UK fox expert showed that 80% of foxes over 3 years old had a previous break that reset. A fracture of one of the front leg will debilitate a fox more than one of a back leg. Either way their ability to hunt, jump, run and fight may be compromised, so it has to be decided case by case what is best for the fox. Some vets may take into consideration if a fox is supported in the wild by a guardian who is able to feed and monitor this fox as this increases the chance for the fox surviving and possibly thriving despite being at a disadvantage. Other vets will just put a fox with a broken leg or a three-legged fox down.