To be so upset to be told a near neighbour has just tried to poison our fox?

[tinalane]

We have a local fox & one of the things that makes DP happy is to spot the fox out the window, walking about at night.

A neighbour has JUST THIS MINUTE been walking about unannounced in the back garden & told me that something just got his chickens, so he put some meat down with poison & was looking to see if he's killed it.

(weep)

Why didn't he put better fences up???

Why did he have to poison what makes DP & me happy?

I said he'd better put better fences up then & closed the door before I cried or said something I'd regret.

I don't want his chickens hurt either but he seemed so sadistic it was horrible.

(shaking)

What if poor DP find out? How horrible!

Nasty bastard!

Hens get eaten by chickens. Tis nature. If he doesn't want that to happen he should keep them locked in a chicken shed - deep litter for example.

Git.

"Human beings do far more damage to the animal kingdom than foxes - they have never driven another species to extinction. Bit rich for us humans to slag them off!"

Hear hear!

We are the vermin, let's be honest. Not that the word means anything - just calling something vermin doesn't change it's nature. It's a purely arbitrary definition.

Wonder if all those advocating poisoning the beast would be up in arms if the hunt came through their garden.

i don't see how we are more arrogant than any other species.

"Why did he have to poison what makes DP & me happy?" so would it be ok if he killed a different fox then? Maybe your neighbour just hates you and likes to see you upset?

thedogsgottago, people get 'precious' about their chicken because they are a food source, ffs! They provide eggs & obviously meat, if they so desire. And they are not cheap to replace, either!

Why shouldn't people get precious over that?

"As an aside, does anyone know how to get rid of foxes (save poisoning wink)?"

Hunting used to be quite effective.

He shouldn't have poisoined the fox bu I don't blame him for wanting to kill it. Your DP's emotional and mental health is not his problem, and I doubt he would have realised you both attach quite so much importance to it.

Yabu foxes are vermin

YABU you'd be amazed at how far down a fox can dig and they are vermin. You wouldn't be too happy to have a look in a hen coop after a fox had been in.

HasNoProblemWithKillingVerminTiggaxx

They are a food source for the fox, too. Six of one and half a dozen of the other IMO.

'Why did he have to poison what makes dp and I happy' seems like a reasonable point to me - just as any of us would be upset if someone damaged a beautiful tree that we looked at every day, even if it was on the street or in a park or in a neighbour's garden.

Not that anyone could round here, it's a conservation area so the council has to give you permission to remove trees even if they have fallen down across your whole garden. Not that I'm bitter or anything...

Oh, and I doubt anyone would be happy looking at a slaughterhouse after the human beings had been in, either.

PMSl at 'Our fox'!!

YANBU! Your neighbour is a sadistic arsehole and probably a pervert like most animal abusers are too. It's natural forthe fox to try and get the chickens, albeit sad. He should have better chicken housing.

"DragOn, of course I'd be devastated if a fox killed my pet. But I wouldn't be stupid enough to blame the fox for existing. "

My point was that you were equating humans eating chickens to the fox eating what is essentially a pet in this case. Which is ridiculous. I was tempted to get chickens but we have a fox earth at the end of the garden - thus I did not get the chickens as I couldn't bear the thought of finding slaughtered chickens in the morning. None of this stopped me tucking into a nice roast capon on Christmas day.

I'm not advocating poisoning the foxes but they are vermin in an urban environment. Driven here by humans of course.

I remember going to London Zoo many years ago and there was a mock cage to pose for photos in. It had a sign up saying "World's Most Dangerous Animal" which is, of course, totally true.

Pervert?? PMSL. Get a grip

YANBU to be upset about poisoning foxes as the poison can harm other creatures, as others have pointed out. YABU to think that people shouldn't try to control foxes though.

Foxes are a pest in an urban environment, and wanting to get rid of them is not the sign of an animal abuser. Poison, however, is not necessarily the best method.

In fact, having spent time in the country, I know that there is very little for chickens that is "fox-proof", they're very good at getting in, and then killing all the chickens but only taking away one.

What a naive argument to say that foxes are driven into towns by humans hunting. Foxes do not have the rationale to think - I am being hunted I think I'll move to the city.

They move because they can feed more easily there and the reason for that is because the fox population is growing unchecked in the country and they can find easier sources of food in the city.

It's illegal to poison foxes and very difficult to achieve as they are very resilient to most toxins. So report him.
www.oxfordcroquet.com/care/foxes/index.asp

Our area is very fox-heavy, and several friends keep chickens successfully. You have to provide the right protection and shut up your chickens before dusk to keep them reasonably safe.
www.nfws.org.uk/problems_01.html

different name - I could understand that arguement if we lived in a 3rd world country where people starve if their animails get killed by wildlife, however we dont we live in a country where you can buy eggs and chicken very cheaply at your local supermarket. And dont FFS me thanks. Theres no need to be rude.

I agree with Goblinchild....report him!

I love to see foxes - fabulous animals. But vermin, nonetheless and there's a reason for the saying "cunning as a fox". They are! Which makes it very easy for them to raid henhouses and kill for pleasure. Of this I know.

It's hugely irresponsible to put down poison - I greatly prefer the gun as the disposal method of choice - but best of all don't encourage foxes into urban areas. Your neighbour needs to take advice from experts on this one before he poisons all the cats in the neighbourhood.

I don't want to buy eggs and chicken cheaply at a supermarket, prefer to know they have been well treated and had a good life.

Agrees with Edam

Wonders if she could get away with giving poisoned meat to vermin humans that are a nuisance