I live in the outskirts of Milan and lately I keep seeing more and more foxes roaming around at night. I have a 2 kg chihuahua and I'm worried. I've been told that foxes attack pets, but I don't know if it's true or just myths.
the risk is there but it's lower than it seems - urban foxes prefer garbage and small rodents rather than going after a dog that's making noise and moving around 🦊 sure, a chihuahua is still a tempting snack if left alone at night in the garden unsupervised, but honestly attacks on pet dogs are rare, especially if they're with their owner or inside the house. what you should do is simply not leave it outside unsupervised after sunset and maybe don't let it play alone in isolated areas in the evening.
Foxes aren't naturally aggressive, but a two-kilo chihuahua is literally prey for them, so the risk is real. What you can do is avoid leaving him alone in the garden at night and keep him on a leash even in areas that seem safe, especially at dawn and dusk when foxes are most active.
Leaving him outside alone in the evening is really a bad idea, especially since a chihuahua is basically an appetizing snack size for a hungry fox. That said, I've seen foxes in the green areas around Milan and they're not as aggressive as people think - they look for easy food (garbage, mice) and if they hear your dog barking and moving around, they usually prefer to stay away. The real problem is when they're alone, quiet, or in open spaces where escaping becomes difficult. Keep him inside after sunset, take him out on a short leash if you need to go out, and maybe install motion sensors if he has an outdoor space - foxes hate sudden lights.
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