Fox attacks baby

[Lynds]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/06/fox-attack-baby-twins-sisters

Can't guess what side of the fence the guardian sits on...! How many lambs and 9 month old children would be 'threatening' the fox? Interesting!!

 

[Tormenta]

Would there have been something wrong with the fox? I live rurally and they tend to keep well away from humans, in fact it is quite difficult to see them on a regular basis. Would people feeding an urban fox encourage it to be bolder and enter someone else's house?

However, my thoughts to the family concerned and I hope that the little girls make a swift recovery.

 

[JanetGeorge]

Would there have been something wrong with the fox? I live rurally and they tend to keep well away from humans, in fact it is quite difficult to see them on a regular basis. Would people feeding an urban fox encourage it to be bolder and enter someone else's house?

The fox's behaviour is absolutely 'normal'. The fox is an opportunistic predator - he was attrcted into the house by an open door and the smell of food (people really SHOULD lock up their children better!)

He found some sleeping (non-threatening) pieces of 'meat' and decided to have a meal!

I remember years ago a fox attacked a calving cow - even the Telegraph wouldn't run the story until they had chapter & verse, vet report, a signed statement from the farm worker who disturbed the fox, pictures etc. etc. for fear of being accused of running 'propaganda'. Even then they didn't run any pics as it might have put readers off their breakfast!!

And of COURSE feeding urban foxes makes them tamer - they see people as a sign of food availability rather than a threat! One of the benefits of hunting from a farmer's point of view is that it reminds foxes to be wary around the smell of dogs (farmyards, lambing fields etc.) A fox can't differentiate between the smell of the hound that came within an inch of his brush last week and the smell of a sheepdog around lambing ewes!

 

[Hels_Bells]

Janet - I quite agree. I live in rural North Yorkshire and rarely see a fox, they keep a very low profile. However, if you were to spend a week in a London suburb you would see a very different type of fox. I used to see foxes pretty much every day, sometimes several times, in broad daylight any time of day or night... People there have no livestock so they don't see or understand the damage a fox can do. They are totally tolerated, other than the intermittent inconvenience of them knocking a bin over people just accept them. They literally have no idea how dangerous they can be and they have been allowed to swell to vast numbers. I probably saw more foxes in London than I see rabbits in rural north yorkshire. It's tragic that this pig headed ignorance and "foxes are harmless" approach by certain faculties has led to this happening. If they had listened and understood the approach of rural people to foxes they would have not allowed numbers to swell like this and this terrible tragedy may not have occurred.

 

[thinlizzy]

How awful for all concerned !Rural foxes are a differant breed to suburban foxes the latter being more used to people and living alongside them this is so awful and in the family house deepest sympathy to all concerned ,if one can do it though ?

 

[Kat]

Would there have been something wrong with the fox? I live rurally and they tend to keep well away from humans, in fact it is quite difficult to see them on a regular basis. Would people feeding an urban fox encourage it to be bolder and enter someone else's house?

However, my thoughts to the family concerned and I hope that the little girls make a swift recovery.

There is one near where my sister lives that some wheelchair bound old boy has trained to do tricks for food. Sits and begs like a little lap dog, the old guy should really get himself a poodle instead

Urban foxes are really bold, in the suburbs where my family live there are loads of very brave foxes that are not scared of people or dogs. I saw one yesterday strolling down the pavement at 4pm bold as brass.

 

[guccigivi2001]

no sign on scratchline yet? my thoughts are with the family, those poor kiddies

 

[rosie fronfelen]

no sign on scratchline yet? my thoughts are with the family, those poor kiddies

oh please, dont tempt him out!!!

 

[rosie fronfelen]

we had a vixen hollering her head off last night, under our bedroom window- probably the same bitch that had one of my cherished chooks the other afternoon!!

 

[HarrietLong]

They are wild animals - predators. Why was the back door open during the night anyway? The fox is purely trying to survive.

Also think it is disgusting that it was then destroyed

 

[MotherOfChickens]

anyone else think that it's a bit unlikely?

 

[sykokat]

Harrietlong- why do you think its so awful that it was destroyed???
If it were one of your babies what would you want?? Also, they are urban foxes that have become alot braver around humans because fluffy bunny huggers think they are cute and start feeding them. Like you say, they are wild animals and belong in the wild, not in cities and towns. But, because of the ban/restrictions there are now too many of them and they seek food and territory else where. Thus bringing them, unfortunately, into close contact with humans. This is not natural and in no way be encouraged. They do however, need to be managed in the same way as deer etc.
Also, if a dog were to have attacked these babies,what would have been the outcome Harrietlong, a biscuit??? I DON'T THINK SO!!!

 

[spaniel]

Harriet if it were a rat that had chewed someones child would it bother you if that was killed???

 

[HarrietLong]

Dogs aren't wild - so that is a totally different matter, and to be honest down to an irresponsible owner.

I totally agree foxes shouldn't be fed - not at all condonning that! However, if you were starving and you were offered food would you say no?? Hence over the years they have moved into rural areas. But it is humans faults rather than the foxes - so in theory humans asked for the problems they now face.

Why was a door open at night anyway!! Irresponsible parents - any intruder could have got in and abducted the children!

 

[sykokat]

Its because of the attitude of these bunny huggers that the foxes are now in this predicament. They have messed about with rural management and now its turned into something nasty. But as usual, they will have all the excuses/reasons under the sun as to why the fox isn't to blame etc. No, the fox isn't to blame but people who do not understand the rural scene etc, are responsible.

 

[beanie_boo]

you say its the fault of dog owners that they attack children
we own a dobermann who is incredibly noise sensitive and we have to be extremely careful with her around children, yet she is very well trained!!! the dogs that attcked acted on instinct, they are 9 times out of 10 a guarding breed who react to noise, it takes a split second for them to attack, you could literally look at someone or blink.
just goes to show that the "murdering country folk" had the right ideas about how foxes should be treated, maybe they should reconsider the ban since their where never any problems before it ..... but as usual, they'll set a few traps and chuck them back to the countryside leaving others to deal with a problem where the only successfull method has been banned

 

[Capriole]

the particular article i read said the fox came in through a window, not an open back door, surely nobody is suggesting people should have locked and barred windows to deter possible fox attacks?

 

[spaniel]

According to the BBC news just now it came in through an open door. I know I shouldnt laugh but I did chuckle when it was suggested by the police that folks should keep their doors shut and not feed urban foxes.

How many years have we been listening to urban folk bleating on about how lovely the fluffy little angels are and how they want to attract them into their gardens....now they are the cause of locked doors!!

 

[Capriole]

the article i read earlier definately said window, just read another and it says door, and another says 'Detectives are investigating whether the animals entered the house through an open window or door'

but however it got in (or they, one article mentioned two) no one should have to keep their doors and windows locked when they are sat in the house minding their own business. im amazed actually att the number of people making excuses for foxes today, if it had been a dog people would be on about banning the breed etc., like they do every time a rotty, etc. bites someone. whys it different if its a fox?

 

[The Dunner]

I hope some of the three hugging antis or people who say we are scum that hunt this VERMIN see this,

When an area is over populated by foxs they have a food shortage,it isnt as easy get when numbers have doubled,especially now cubs are running about.

Again it proves that the hunting ban is the height of stupidity,weather it was baby girls or a hen house the fox doesnt care,albeit this is defanitly a crazy and rare thing to have happened its obvious the fox population is growing,the sorry thing is the wrong fox's will be culled.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I'm not anti-hunting or a bunny hugger. just think the whole thing is unlikely.

 

[joe_carby]

hmmmm id love to say i told you so, just sorry it had to be at the expense of two kids being bitten.

just wait the new story will be that it wasnt a fox the twins were actually teething and bit each other.

 

[Ranyhyn]

There's an advertisement for not leaving your door wide open.....
ETA: its pretty much common sense in Britain, you don't leave your first floor doors/windows open with your sleeping chilren inside. IMHO it could just be good LUCK it was a fox and not a child abducter.

No, you shouldn't HAVE to lock your house up properly at night, but one would think its pretty common sense to do so.

 

[Sparkles]

In a way it's a bit ironic...considering the arguement from the clueless-city anti's that go on about how farmers should just fence the livestock in better to stop attacks....

Ho hum....

 

[rosie fronfelen]

They are wild animals - predators. Why was the back door open during the night anyway? The fox is purely trying to survive.

Also think it is disgusting that it was then destroyed

sorry to say,it was the kindest thing to do to put it down. no other choice- to pick it up and dump it in the countryside is NOT an option as these are boen and bred in an urban area and not used to surviving and living out in the sticks.It would more than likely starvefrom not having a dustbin to raid or some fluffy bunny to put food out for it, also it would likely contract mange which is a hideous thing for a fox to catch and very painful for it.

 

[Sleighfarer]

Would there have been something wrong with the fox? I live rurally and they tend to keep well away from humans, in fact it is quite difficult to see them on a regular basis. Would people feeding an urban fox encourage it to be bolder and enter someone else's house?

However, my thoughts to the family concerned and I hope that the little girls make a swift recovery.

Urban foxes are certainly very different creatures. They are very bold and march about the streets in broad daylight - we even have one who has a snooze on the railway platform in the afternoon (though he does move if anybody gets *too* close).

I don't buy the idea that there are armies of people feeding them; I've lived in London for 22 years and I don't know anybody who would do that - or who would try to entice them into the garden (who wants a lawn covered in fox s**t?).

They are tolerated because on the whole they don't do much harm and it's cheaper just to let them be (the councils are too taken up with the cockroach and rat problem - especially in Hackney).

Foxes live in the city because it is convenient. Why bother exerting yourself breaking into the hen house when you can stroll down to the station and wait for the drunken commuters to appear, dropping their Kentucky Fried Chicken?

 

[CrazyMare]

They are wild animals - predators. Why was the back door open during the night anyway? The fox is purely trying to survive.

LOL - Are you saying you never stay up later than your children (ifyou have them), with the windows/doors open in this hot weather we have had, trying to let the cool night air in?

It is a shame this has happened, and it shouldn't have, but foxes are becoming a real problem in many areas - as a student in Leeds I often saw foxes ripping at binbags left out by student households (Not mine I must add!)

 

[Sparkles]

What about the killer squirrel community though

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/18368-killer-squirrel-takes-on-the-world

 

[Kellys Heroes]

I personally agree with a few people in this thread...
I believe that the foxes behaviour was completely normal - it was, after all, a wild animal searching for its food (I supposed this could be likened to us going to Tescos or Asda!) Urban foxes are being enticed further and further into our cities, becoming bolder as people are leaving scraps out for them (which agreed, is wrong they are meant to forage their own food).
I agree with the fox being put down however sad it is (at the end of the day, they are beautiful creatures) - it would not have been rehabilitated safely into the wild and survived, but to keep it alive around the same area would have caused chaos!
Wishing a speedy recovery to the babies and find a different way of ventilation!

 

[harkback]

Dogs aren't wild -
!

Ever heard of feral dog packs? We have them in the UK believe it or not. Aside from feral dogs, Pariah dogs are a recognised sub species a variations are found in several countries- India, USA, Australasia.