Urban Fox Control

I just found out that urban foxes if trapped by pest control have to be destroyed not re-released. This is apparently the legal way to do things as its cruel to re-release them in an alien environment.

I could understand that... but foxes are one of the most adaptable animals on the planet! It just seems so cruel to trap them in a tiny cage and then "Humanely destroy them"

It makes me think of the gorgeous little foxy we used to have come round this way, I think she came from the woods so she wasnt a true urban fox.

I was just thinking about this cold snap we have been having, This will likely drive some foxes from the woods and rural areas to the urban areas in order to forage for food and survive. I know the ground here is frozen and rock hard with a dusting of snow which must be making hunting and scavenging near to impossible.. So more foxes will be coming to urban areas during the winter.

I just hate to think of them being trapped and destroyed by pest control.

What is your views on this? Re-Release.. Or destroy?

I was always naive to think that pest controllers re-released them in rural areas. I should have known better!

The problem is, if you release them into rural areas, there is going to be a sustainable fox population there already. Farmers call in people to shoot foxes, that become a problem when they start to predate on livestock, so it's really not a viable option to overpopulate rural areas with predators.

Unfortunately, not every animal born will survive, as long as the population as a whole remains healthy, that is what's important to the long term future of any species. I would imagine many garden birds will suffer this winter, but just because they're not highlighted as urban capture and unable to release, doesn't make their plight any less important.

Re-release into rural areas is controlled for a very good reason, either foxes do not know how to live in rural conditions, and it's cruel to dump them into these conditions. Or there are no are no viable re-release areas, ie, there are already viable fox populations present. Other than birth control, control of population overall is the only option left in these circumstances, not a nice option, but better for the overall balance of wildlife in the long term.

It is illegal to release a pest/vermin species without the land owners permission. being "urban" there is no chance of that.

If they were released into most rural areas they would very quickly be shot .
When I lived in a city I saw foxes every day . Since moving to the country I have seen one fox in 6 months .

Indeed, as they would have little or no fear of humans, therefore their "stock" etc would be very easy pickings.

You may not see many, but they're still there, otherwise who's leaving all that fox scat for my dogs to roll in!!

I hate it when people refer to foxes as vermin/pests

Humans are the TRUE vermin/pests in this world....

People need to adjust their attitude towards the gorgeous animals we SHARE this planet with.

I am part of the Save me campaign (got a letter from Hilary Benn).




Julie,

I wanted to write to thank you for all your help in putting fox hunting on the agenda during the election campaign. Thousands of you wrote to local papers highlighting the view of your local Parliamentary candidates and together we made sure that people knew there was a real choice about such an important issue.

Despite all of our best efforts the new Conservative and Lib Dem Government committed itself to a vote in Parliament on bringing back fox hunting.

Since the entering coalition with the Conservatives the Lib Dems have, however, been silent about this threat. This means Labour is now the only party willing to stand up and say there should be absolutely no return to fox hunting.

So now I'm asking you to help again in this campaign. The incredible activity and generosity of people in the Back the Ban movement took us forward during the election. But now we need to come together again.


Let us stand together - join the Labour Party

By being part of the Back the Ban campaign, you already played a big part in making sure that Conservative candidates had to justify their views during the General Election.

In just a few short months, you and thousands of others made a huge difference to the political debate in this country.

And by joining the Labour Party, you can continue the fight against a return of this barbaric activity. Join the Labour Party today

Over the next few years, it’s important that we all stand up for what we believe in. By joining before 12.30pm on Wednesday means that you will be able to help shape the action we take by voting for the next Labour Leader, too.

Be there with us – join the Labour Party

With best wishes

Hilary

theyre not classed as vermin! and only called 'pests' by intollerant people who dont understand predators.

back on topic....i think they should just leave them be in the 1st place, theyre persecuted in the countryside now the towns where the hell can they go

I agree, leave them where they are in the first place! Problem solved!

Us humans are so selfish, the wee urban foxes HAVE to eat. They don't have the luxury of supermarkets/money like we do...Give them a break, and learn to SHARE this planet!

So do I, when people make pets of wild animals, it usually ends up in trouble.