"Fox babies"

[JacobBlacksBitch]

investigation on Panorama tonight. Strange story this - they were saying on the news this morning that one of the babies will have to have surgery on injured arm for years!! And other people saying that the 'fox' was invested as a cover up for the family dog. Bizarre, sad and interesting story.

I'm watching it now. The coverage is striving to give a balanced view and not to exaggerate the risk posed by urban or rural foxes. The footage and interviews are both making it very, very clear that this couple have not lied, have no agenda and that the police, wildlife experts, hospital surgeons and the pest control officer are all satisfied that the two babies were subjected to an attack by an urban fox, who found them in their cots and bit them repeatedly through the bars. This poor family have been on the receiving end of some truly hateful behaviour (emails, viscious facebook campaigns, tyre slashing) at a time when they nearly lost one of their daughters and both of their girls are terribly scarred, most probably for life. I hope this programme serves them well. I understand why they have agreed to be filmed for it; it is quite clearly to protect their children and themselves from the hysterical and misplaced hateful reaction of some misguided individuals who wrongly believe that there is 'more to this story.' There quite clearly isn't.

I seem to remember there were some pretty vicious posts on MN at the time, from busybodying shit stirrers who felt it was important to point out that in their opinion there was some sort of cover up going on. Let's hope these shit stirrers feel totally ashamed of themselves.

Those poor little girls

Feel so sorry for the parents- can't imagine how they must have felt

Look back at the threads from early June on 'In the New section'. Some truly nasty stuff from quite a few posters.

News

Damn I ended up missing it - will watch on catch up later. I'm glad it was balanced PommeP. Felt very sad that the 'dog "theory"' was still being 'reported' this morning.

I didn't really post on any of those threads at the time because, like now, I think it's suspicious.

Did you watch the programme, expat?

I watched them on GMTV this morning and on BBC news this evening.

I still smell a rat.

or a dog...

< shrugs >

Touche, Any .

Why? I didn't see either of the interviews you mention. Did they include the testimony of any professionals involved that night or since? The police were quoted as being entirely satisfied that the attacks were carried out by a single urban fox who entered the house through the open patio doors. The police arrived at the scene within four minutes of the 999 call and the first officer on the scene used his mobile phone to photograph the fox which Mrs Kouparis was still trying to chase away from the kitchen while holding one of her injured daughters in her arms. The garden is walled and fenced but the foxes could still get in and out. They interviewed a wildlife expert, who was very clear that he thought this attack was unusual to the point of being unbelievable, as regards the normal behaviour of foxes. You could tell it cost him dearly to say otherwise, as he was clearly a devoted lover of wildlife and he was probably worrying about people using this as an excuse to kill foxes. But even he said, that although, at first, he didn't believe that it had been a fox attack, after reviewing the evidence he was concluded that that was in fact, exactly what it was.

I just do, Pomme.

the only thing I found bizzare was the mum saying that if a dog attacks a child then it is put down. What she didn't seem to understand was that if a dog attacks a child not every dog is put down.

Well, she's not exactly unbiased is she, Dueling? I don't think that exterminating foxes is right either, but then I'm not coming from the point of view of someone whose children have been mauled by one. I like to think I wouldn't feel that way even in the horrible event that I were in her position, but I can see why, right now, with it all so fresh and one of her daughter's only just out of the hospital, she isn't really a fox fan.

Is there any possibility due to the fox population becoming more docile, that there is inter breeding with dogs? Just wondering as it may explain why foxes aren't scared of humans anymore.

heck, daughters, no apostrophe.

The wildlife expert and the pest control officer on Panorama both said words to the effect that urban foxes are unafraid of humans because they associate a ready source of food with a human environment.

Those poor little girls and also the parents. I can't imagine what they have been through. When there were all those hideous post when it happened it just made me so cross. Why would anyone cover up for an animal which it comes to their children - I am sorry it just wouldn't happen. I think if you believe that you are quite odd and feel very sad about your outlook on life.

Such a horrid story. I could well believe that the foxes are now tame enough to come into houses - we have them sunbathing in the garden, and they don't run away if we go out. Horrid creatures.

about suspicious posts on here. I remember when Jade Goody was diagnosed with cancer there were horrible threads on here about it 'all being a publicity scam' to restore her public image.

I just can't understand how or why the argument becomes child v fox.

There were some vile posts on here after the event, just as violethill says; completely irrelevent speculation about the fox's motives, as if it were a human on trial... "The fox didn't mean it" kind of stuff. It doesn't matter. The fox attacked the babies. They are animals with no moral compass- nobody is suggesting that they are 'evil'.

Taking steps to protect young children from the danger posed by foxes is not 'anti-fox hysteria', it's good sense.