Elderly rabbits and resident fox - what to do?

[Wowzers71]

Hello - first time poster in pets, but would appreciate any thoughts / views on this.

We live in the city but with a decent sized garden next to a wild area of trees / shrubs that border a bike path. We have two rabbits (8 years old) who live in a hutch in the garden, but spend much of their time hopping around the garden. They have free reign, they always hated being put out in a run, so we just let them have the whole space, and they seem really content. (yes my plants are mostly destroyed, but that's another story!)

One of them developed cataracts during lockdown, but still goes out and seems otherwise fine.

The problem is that in the last few weeks a fox has appeared in the garden. So far we've dealt with it but running outside and scaring it away, but its a city fox so not really bothered by people around. I'm pretty sure its figured out the rabbits would be good prey, and its just a matter of time before it tries to get one of them. I'm really at a loss for what to do. I can't spend my whole time in the garden overseeing the rabbits - and I can't not let them out, that's just cruel.

Any suggestions?

Can they live in your house? The fox will undoubtedly soon kill them if you don't do something.

Yes, the fox will kill them. They need to be moved to an enclosure for their safety.

I know! I feel like its just a matter of time

They can't live in the house, unfortunately. We tried, they hated it. They've spent their whole life basically owning the garden - I'm kind of amazed we've lasted with long WITHOUT a fox to be honest.

Are there charities that might take them? We could try and build an enclosure here, but the last time we tried that they literally spent ALL their time trying to dig out.

Well, at 8 years old it's more likely they would then die in a hutch. Not many people will adopt them at that age.
You dig mesh under the run floor to stop them getting out. I'd still consider the house though. They might not like it at first but they won't like being eaten either, which they will be as the fox knows they are there now.

Senior rabbits can be taken in my rescues and there are plenty of people who will take on senior pairs, but they do take longer to find new homes.

If you build and enclosure you have to make it dig proof - the mesh dug into the earth like @IndecentCakes says works. Or I had my aviary completely paved, it has foam matting on top to help their hocks. I live in a very foxy area.

Digging is normal behaviour - but you can give them dig boxes, mine has an underbed storage box with earth in, my girl has a great time playing in that.