[Fleecewife]

It's happened to many of us - we go outside and find our beautiful hens dead, headless and mauled, strewn around the grass, often with the fox still around.  These foxes are urban foxes which have been rounded up and transported into the countryside.  They haven't got a clue how to hunt as in towns they scavenge or are fed by householders; in the countryside their only option if they are to survive is to kill free range poultry.  I don't blame the foxes - it's misguided humans who are causing a problem

Who is doing this, and why?  Do they imagine this is 'kind' to the fox?  The whole thing is cruel, to the foxes and to the poultry, and to us, the poultry keepers and our children.

Anyway, I have been wondering how the word can be spread to as many urban dwellers as possible that their actions are extremely cruel.  The explosion of urban fox numbers is something which must be dealt with within the towns, not just taking them and dumping them, moving the problem on to farmers, who are left to shoot the animals.
A possible source of help to spread this info is Springwatch, as loads and loads of folk watch the programme, all of whom would surely think of themselves as nature lovers.

So, I have written to Springwatch in the hope they will read my email.  Does anyone else want to join me?

[Buttermilk]

A local wood was a dumping ground for the RSPCA who were seen releasing caged foxes.  Someone went out with some dishes and tins of cat food, rattling and calling them then sat in their car and shot eight that came to feed.  They were left out in a row at the entrance to deter anymore arrivals.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

I dont think its city dwellers loading foxes into estate cars and dropping them off its the RSPCA. And I completely agree with everything that you have said Fleece wife. I guess the NFU would be the one to take it up with them at the right level as smallholders are not the only ones effected. Lambs and outdoor reared piglets would also be taken. The poor things must be desperate for food after the rich pickings of restaurant bins and cat food brandishing townies armed with a camcorder who think they are Chris Packham.


I was talking about this to some one recently who told me that a farmer he knew had shot 11 over a period of weeks and everyone was a castrated male. What a massive waste of the charities resources especially at this time of year when we are approaching the season of abandoned pets.

[bloomer]

But if the Rspca dont release them in the countryside they lose face with the old lady brigade they work so hard to extort donations from...

Urban foxes when caught should be humanely destroyed end of story...

[harmony]

I think that is a good idea FW but nobody wants to know the reality. Urban animals taken to the country which are then shot when they cause a nuisance. Not the sort of thing Springwatch would like to talk about. Next thing you will someone campaigning to give foxes the same protection as badgers, which also like to visit our hen houses.


Write to the RSPCA and ask if they catch urban foxes and what they do with them? I bet you don't get a reply.


Here there are foxes caught regularly that have a small piece of fur shaved from the leg and the assumption is that they are microchipped.

[devonlady]

I'm with you, FW, all the way!! I've had foxes come up to within feet of me, probably waiting to be fed. I've also had too many chickens, new born lambs and free range piglets taken.
A neighbour over the fields from me who lives in a quiet lane was woken one night by the sound of a vehicle , she looked from her window to find a transit van outside. Two people opened up the back then  closed the doors and drove away. In the lane were a pack of bewildered foxes!!
I know they are also taken a few miles away to Dartmoor where they have scant chance of survival. Even local foxes struggle there in the winter.
Far better for the foxes and for poultry keepers and sheep farmers if they were kept in the town and numbers controlled by trapping and euthanasia. Also end the rearing of fox cubs, "sweet" as they are.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Seeing as we're all in agreement why dont we start a petition on 38 degrees and outline the dangers, diseases and problems about them plus their impact on nature and the devastation not only to farmers and smallholders but to the environment. stress on the fact that its animal cruelty, should have a lot of signitures before you can say supercalifragalisticexpialadocious.

[ramon]

If you post a petition I would sign it.
I have free ranged poultry for years without any real problem. New neighbours, who have moved from town and feed the wildlife, have attracted foxes to the area and these foxes are now not afraid of people.
There's always been foxes on the hill but in the past they have kept their distance and been wary of people.
The neighbours do not seem to understand the problem they are causing.
Lost so many hens they are now more or less confined to the barn.

Have had a few foxes shot and shooters out again tonight.

[Marches Farmer]

Over 40 shot on the 300 acre local common land this year, many males castrated ....  need I say more.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

If you post a petition I would sign it.
I have free ranged poultry for years without any real problem. New neighbours, who have moved from town and feed the wildlife, have attracted foxes to the area and these foxes are now not afraid of people.
There's always been foxes on the hill but in the past they have kept their distance and been wary of people.
The neighbours do not seem to understand the problem they are causing.
Lost so many hens they are now more or less confined to the barn.

Have had a few foxes shot and shooters out again tonight.

Could do with getting the fox hunters out there, professional ones of course.

[ramon]

Not professional but very competent and safety conscious men who have come here to hunt for years.
They have done a good job of keeping fox and deer numbers under control.

Have no problem with either deer or foxes existing, in fact I like seeing both of them around. But with no predators their numbers can get out of control.

Horrified by the fact that RSPCA may be releasing urban foxes into the wild. Surely much kinder to kill them quickly.

[Fleecewife]

I have found lots written on the subject now, in various media.  I feel some research coming on.

I am in Scotland and our Scottish SPCA is very different from the English version, but I wonder if they support rural releases.  Would they tell me if I enquired?

I hadn't thought about piglets being taken, although I know about lambs - we have been lucky there, perhaps because our sheep are feisty and take no crap from foxes.

So, who knows how to set up an effective campaign, and where would it be delivered?  Are the rules separate between Scotland and England/Wales?   I can write but I'm no good at doing techie things like collecting signatures and organising campaigns........

I'll start with our local counsellor who is hot on rural problems.........

Thanks all, it's great to know you support the idea.

Some of the media comments I have read have pointed out that culling and dumping in the countryside (!) is not the whole solution for town foxes.  We need a change of attitude from those who feed foxes, and those who leave rubbish dumped, don't close their bins properly, and drop half eaten take away food containers on the ground.  Hence my thoughts that Springwatch could help.

There was a spate of foxes invading houses and attacking small children and babies - that opened some eyes, but not enough, and for the media was a bit of a shock horror one day wonder.

[Porterlauren]

Its the RSPCA. . . . .


And you don't have a hope in hell of stopping them. And they will deny everything.

[Ghdp]

I wonder that it is not offence under Animal Wefare Act 2006 to abandon an animal ( including a wild animal being released) where it is likley to suffer in the wild because it is ill equipped to survive or the place of release is unsuitable. Is that worth looking into FW?

[waterbuffalofarmer]

I was told by someone that it is against the law to release urban foxes into the wild. Only way to catch whoevers releasing them is to film them releasing them and then report them.