To go outside and check whether that noise is a dog in distress, not a fox?

[JosephineBucket]

I can hear barking outside that sounds like a distressed dog but is most likely an urban fox. Do they really sound that much like dogs? It's not the usual shrieking bark that I associate with foxes and I'd hate to think that someone's dog got out and I ignored it.

I would go and have a look.

Foxes generally make more of a screaming noise than a bark it's horrendous actually sounds like a woman being murdered.

Stick your head out and throw something in its direction. If it's a dog it'll probably bark loudly and normally.

I thought I heard a cat outside my flat one night...opened the curtain to check and there was a very distressed emu standing there! I’d take a look...it might be a reindeer!

I did check YouTube and it's definitely not that noise (we have a lot of foxes on wasteground behind us and used to the nocturnal noise!) and it definitely sounds more like a dog.

I'll grab a torch and my keys - if I get locked out DH will not be happy being woken up!

If it sounds like someone being murdered, it's a fox (or a murder...)

I would have a look. As pp said foxes have a very distinct shriek which is awful to hear. I hope it's not a dog in pain.

@Walkingthroughawall I'll take a carrot just in case!

The noise stopped as I was going outside but shined my torch in the bushes and couldn't see anything. Whatever it was must have run off. I'll double check in the morning when it's light. Thanks for the replies.

Also, apparently randy hedgehogs make a right old racket (a friend once called the police because they thought someone was being attacked...turned out it was two hedgehogs at it in a bush!)

@Walkingthroughawall do you live in Dorset? A friend of mine once lost an emu and we all had to go looking for it 😂

Yeah, I've gone out to check what sounded like a woman screaming, it was foxes. They don't sound like dogs. Perhaps it was a dog 'helping' wrap presents so got shut out tempted to do that to my cats or just escaped.
An emu?! Where are you Walking?

We had just gone to bed on night when I heard a dog crying. It wasn't very loud but it was sorrowful, sad cries. I listened worriedly for a few minutes to see if it would stop, but every few seconds there was a sad, soft whimper. I got up and went to investigate.

It was my dog, I'd accidentally shut her out in the garden. For 40 minutes.

Not Dorset (but not a million miles away).