Fox attack

[FairyCakes]

How horrific for the family
I live in an urban area, and I can't believe the amount of foxes I see wandering around, a lot in daylight
I also came across a video online of a fox attacking a man in the states, it sat there, then ran at his legs biting them. It was making awful snarling noises and only let go after the person beat it off with its shopping.

 

[skint1]

I've got an acquaintance who is very pro fox hunting. His theory is that although this is most unfortunate and he hopes the children make a full recovery, it might help what he perceives as "townies" to keep a more open mind about the foxhunting debate.

 

[Archina]

I am not going to get into the whole fox hunting debate because that a differant can of worms all together but these are predators so why is everyone shocked? Offcourse they are going to lose there fear of ppl in large citys. They have to deal with us all the time but the foxes where here first so it is us who have to make changes. Any animal that attacks a human should be PTS but when it comes to small dogs, cats, family pets you cant turn around and blame the fox, that is there prey. Its the owners responsibilty to make sure there pets are secure. I personnally have lost quite a few chickens to foxes but i dont turn around and blame them. Offcourse they are going to go for the easy prey. I really do feel for the parents of these poor twin girls and wouldnt wish it on anyone. Heres hoping they make a full recovery.

 

[samantha1973]

Maybe now all those townies that helped ban hunting might just rethink their views!

 

[Tormenta]

How horrific for the family
I live in an urban area, and I can't believe the amount of foxes I see wandering around, a lot in daylight
I also came across a video online of a fox attacking a man in the states, it sat there, then ran at his legs biting them. It was making awful snarling noises and only let go after the person beat it off with its shopping.

That fox had rabies.

 

[ladyt25]

I'm sorry I still don't see it as the fox's 'fault'. We are far to quick to blame an animal for what it is only doing as natural behaviour and oit has adapted to us humans - we have encrouched on it's natural environment and then you get the idiots who encourage them by feeding them in the gardens etc etc etc. The fox does not have any sense of reason, it can't distinguish between ight and wrong and where it should and shouldn't go but it is the HUMANS that are to blame for the fox not remaining scared enough to keep away. it grates on me how our option only ever seems to be "ooh, let's just destroy the animal". Yes they kill chickens and the odd lamb (although we have foxes on our land and woodland and the farmer does not suffer lamb losses. The fox does not think to avoid people's chickens because they are pets it just sees them as an easy meal so of course it will come in and take them as opposed to hunting for itself.

All in all I believe it is OUR fault if foxes are proving to be a problem - we are supposed to be the 'intelligent species' after all!!!

 

[harkback]

Yes they kill chickens and the odd lamb (although we have foxes on our land and woodland and the farmer does not suffer lamb losses. The fox does not think to avoid people's chickens because they are pets it just sees them as an easy meal so of course it will come in and take them as opposed to hunting for itself.

All in all I believe it is OUR fault if foxes are proving to be a problem - we are supposed to be the 'intelligent species' after all!!!

THE ODD LAMB!!! Please come up to Wales and tell my flock of sheep that, and all our neighbouring farmers. Oh and while you are at it tell the rare breed turkey farmer who has just lost 24 rare bronze turkey adults to a fox that got into a coop (dug under an electric fence, tore off the wire netting and pulled off the wall panels) and killed or maimed ALL 24 birds and did not even eat one morsel of any of them. Where have you been hiding your head in the sand all this time?

It is human fault that urban foxes are so darn bold though all those do gooder who see them as a dog and put food out for them because they are "cute". Well not so cute when they start preying on their nice little kitties, and lap warmer dogs.

 

[ilovecobs]

Sometimes they will kill a few chickens or a lot and not even eat a 1/4 of what they kill.. i know they dont think like that but it wouldnt be as wasteful

 

[LuanneCat]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/10298168.stm

Gosh, if this is the same Fox it is darned cheeky!, caught on a Police officers camera phone staring in the patio doors.

Am hoping the poor girls and their family are recovering well still, such a horrible thing to happen.

 

[lifebythedrop]

I have been hunting for most of my life , and I always saw the fox just as vermin. However this winter during the extreme bad weather, a fox appeared at our back door, and was sharing food with our 5 cats. My initial reaction was panic (for the cats). The fox has returned every night, and shares the cat food. He will back straight off if one of the cats gets angry. The cats are not in the slighest bit bothered by the fox, and they will share the food.

A few weeks ago he (it is the dog fox, the vixen is sometimes seen but does not approach the house) started carrying off food presumably for the cubs. There are now also 3 cubs appearing every night, again they are very wary of the cats.

I am not suggesting that this incident did not happen, however the fox behaviour is quite different to what I have now been observing for a few months.

 

[Hollycat]

A woman I know that used to run an animal charity hand raised more than one orphan fox. She said as pets they were somewhere in between a dog and a cat personalitywise and she preferred a fox as a pet to either dog or cat. Obviously she didn't go out to get one as a pet - these were orphened fox cubs and no I don't suggest people go out and try to raise them as pets. I just thought it was interesting re their character.

Dogs are also a real menace in some parts of the world where they are feral. Any largeish predator can be a real menace to livestock and humans and having lived in London for 10 years I know many urban foxes are exceptionally bold and have little fear of humans. Some will walk past you down the street as if you were not there. They also have very good climbing skills re getting through windows.

At the end of the day its one attack. Compared to all the kids injured by dogs, killed on the road, abused by their parents etc it isn't a big deal (though obviously it is for the parents and the children themselves - hopefully they will be ok). I think foxes are more of a problem in the coutryside where they do a lot of damage as demonstrated in the posts in this thread

 

[dorani]

All carnivores are predators. Whether it be your cat, dog or a fox. I assume this was a young unwordlywise pup . There are alot about at this time of year. Lets not go over the top about this. Surely as a race we have progressed further than this oldfashioned archaic response . Yes , they will eat your chickens if you leave them out ,yes they will kill them all as your JR terrier will kill all the rats in a barn..what is praised in one is castigated as evil in another.
My sympathy goes out to the family , but lets not get hysterical! Hand feeding fox cubs and adults does them no favours in the long run.

 

[dorani]

Sometimes they will kill a few chickens or a lot and not even eat a 1/4 of what they kill.. i know they dont think like that but it wouldnt be as wasteful

As do humans! The amount of food waste is making a huge rat problem in towns and cities. Foxes eat rats!

Lets face it...if hunting was not so popular foxes like wolves, wild boar and bears would have been eradicated from this country centuries ago.