The urban foxes,what are they going to do about it?
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Question by eleni: The urban foxes,what are they going to do about it?
Ok, firstly I live in Scotland and had no idea whatsoever about the urban fox problem. I like most was horrified when I heard it on the news. When I saw the news videos of the foxes roaming wildly around the city streets I thought what are the councils going to do? I cant find anything anywhere to say anything about any action to be taken. Just advise on keeping windows and doors shut.
People cant live like this, cooped up like chickens at night afraid to open windows for air in the sweltering summer (if we get one!)
It seems so bizarre, does anyone know what is to be done about it? Up here dogs found roaming the streets are impounded.
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/uk/Defiant-fox-left-my-babies.6346478.jp
This is the news report I read. I don’t think I was overreacting and if it was happening in my town I would be quite concerned that with people tying up their bins more securely the foxes will get hungry.
What do you think? Answer below!
16 Responses to The urban foxes,what are they going to do about it?
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There isn’t an urban fox problem.
Hypocrite - Umm...
May 26, 2012 at 7:08 pm
There is no problem. I live in Bristol, which has a thriving population of foxes, and frankly I find them delightful. Apart from the occasional raided bin, there is no negative side at all. The incident that has made the headlines is tragic, but anything but typical.
I see a fox on Brandon’s hill almost every night. Sometimes he comes right up to me and once he even let me stroke him!
Avondrow
May 26, 2012 at 7:42 pm
Ive lived in and around London for 10 years now. In this time Ive seen 2 foxes, and both werent even in a garden but rather a public park and at dusk.
If I showed you pictures of the May Day protests in London would you assume that that was what London was like all the time? No you wouldnt (well actually you would, because you seem to think that a 30 second video clip is completely representative of all cities across the UK – but most of us use our brains)
Heres what I want to know.
Does this family have any pets (ie cats or dogs?)
Did this family engage in any behaviour beforehand such as feeding wild foxes, that encouraged them to go up to their door?
dave g
May 26, 2012 at 8:32 pm
There isn’t an urban fox problem. You are heavily overthinking this. This isn’t normal fox behaviour. There is no record of a fox attacking a child, until now of course.
What is it with people and over reacting & demanding money be spent on something rare and pointless?
Hubert Geitner
May 26, 2012 at 8:56 pm
we can’t waste money on it in these times because of a one-off. What a knee jerk reaction it would be to start a massive exercise to kill them all.
The best plan is –
Secure rubbish
Do not feed foxes
Do not drop litter, especially food
Mr Deighton
May 26, 2012 at 9:53 pm
Although this is not a one off, there is not normally more than one fox attack on a human a year in the UK, most resulting in someone getting a long wait in A&E and a tetanus jab.
Deighton above describes the best course of action as how to deal with the problem.
Link strikes back
May 26, 2012 at 10:35 pm
I think the Home Guard should be alerted immediately, them foxes dont like a bit of cold steel up em, no, dont like it at all.
jmdit27
May 26, 2012 at 11:04 pm
Isn’t got something to do with all the litter that’s lying about?
My hubby saw the report on TV about this story and said there were bins overflowing on the pavement plus boxes lying on the pavement. If people leave rubbish out like this it is no surprise that foxes are roaming about.
bigbossmamma
May 27, 2012 at 12:00 am
They should do nothing about it.
Locking windows and being ‘cooped up’ is stupid.
This has got completely out of hand.
When are we gonna realise that animals came first, it is their planet. Humans are too SELFISH.
Action should NOT be taken.
Cass
May 27, 2012 at 12:41 am
I had always thought that it was the councils’ duty to clear out any vermin so why are there “urban” foxes? if they were rats there might be something done,foxes are vermin and carry diseases.
HELEN LOOKING4
May 27, 2012 at 1:14 am
itv presents Town watch and you see foxes badgers and other so called vermin in gardens at night live.the fox and other animals search for food and what best place is your bin.also with people leaving food out it encourages mice rats (staple food for creatures of the wild).i live in a very rural farming area and the fox is as common as a sparrow.might lose a chicken every so often.
recycled bumpkin(sheep nurse)
May 27, 2012 at 1:48 am
There is not and never has been a ‘fox problem’ and you are reacting exactly the way the fox hunting idiots want you to. Stop panicking as apart from the odd mosquito that will come in through your open bedroom window at night is a human burglar you’ve got to worry about. Foxes ain’t that stupid. There are foxes everywhere but the clever little blighters tend to keep very much away from the deadly eyes of humans. The ones that are in towns are there because of the filthy habits of humans and the way they dump rubbish everywhere. Amongst that rubbish there are good and easy food pickings so the foxes compete with rats and mice to clear it away. More and more of the natural habitat of the fox is being built over by humans so where are the foxes to go? Man is to blame for foxes in towns and these beautiful creatures would much prefer to be away from us but often have no option.
McDodgy digits sober and fishing
May 27, 2012 at 2:35 am
nothing. what do you expect them to do. a child coked to death on an eraser last week, do you want all erasers banning whilst you’re at it. foxes are not a problem if you are rational and sensible enough not to leave crap lying about and bins open.
dollybird
May 27, 2012 at 2:54 am
For crying out loud!!!
Get a grip please. People are not “cooped up like chickens” or anything like that.
There have been I think 2 or 3 instances of foxes “attacking” people in 30 years. Not exactly a problem.
If it is found that a fox (or any other animal) is causing a problem in an area then a pest controller will deal with it.
All large cities have populations of animals “roaming” around, be they cats, stray dogs or normally wild animals such as foxes and badgers.
Go to some places in the US you get bears, go to Africa and you get big cats coming into towns etc.
It is called life, I suggest you get one.
andy w
May 27, 2012 at 3:09 am
For God’s sake get a grip. You are more likely to be mugged than get bitten by a fox. The ridiculous knee jerk reaction to this incident is typical of this country. Last week it was guns, this week the poor fox.
People have been attacked by seagulls but no one went into one over it.
McDodgy, spot on as usual.
michaela
May 27, 2012 at 3:10 am
I think it’s the media that has told us that there is an urban fox problem, rather than there actually being one in reality. As we all know, a ‘crisis’ means newspaper sales and viewing figures, so the media have taken this ‘killer fox’ reporting strategy and run with it. Foxes are generally very scared of humans and 99% of the time will do anything to keep away from us. The idea of not being able to let kids out in the garden is also rubbish. They are more likely to be injured by a pet dog than by a fox. A little common sense and an ability to see through the media hype is required on this issue.
John | Fox Repellent Expert
August 14, 2012 at 12:04 am