Red Fox Takes Daytime Romp Through Midtown Tulsa

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, Oklahoma -- A four-legged citizen of Tulsa came out for a stroll Wednesday afternoon. Red fox are common to the area – but not as commonly seen during the day, according to Jean Letcher, manager of Tulsa's Animal Welfare Department.

"They live in a lot of the wooded areas and neighborhoods throughout the city," Letcher said. "We consider them indigenous wildlife, and we don't try to trap or control them."

If anything, they're a beneficial member of the community, she said.

"They hunt small rodents and help keep the ecosystem in place."

The red fox romping in a neighborhood just north of the Fairgrounds ran by a Calico cat without either animal reacting to the other.

Fox don't go through the trash like raccoons or stray dogs, and rarely carry disease, the Animal Control manager said.

"There can be rabies in fox just like raccoons or other wildlife," Letcher said. "We have not had a problem here."

If citizens see a fox displaying signs of rabies, they should certainly keep away and notify animal control.

Fox are generally seen at dusk or dawn as they mostly roam at night. They don't have much fear of humans from afar but will run if approached, Letcher noted.

"They can fend for themselves," she said. "They may partake of an outside cat's food, but you'll never know they were there."