Move to soothe panic after Dundee fox sightings
Dundee City Council has moved to allay fears of possible attacks by urban foxes in the city after a woman in England was mauled by one of the predators.
- By Katie Smyth
- Published in the Courier : 13.09.10
- Published online : 13.09.10 @ 12.24pm
Lawyer Annie Bradwell from Fulham, West London, was asleep in bed when a fox bit her on the ear, damaging cartilage and leaving her bleeding.
Ms Bradwell had initially thought it was her cat licking her but when she felt the razor sharp teeth she woke up to find the fox poised over her head.
Her ordeal comes three months after twin baby girls Isabella and Lola Koupparis were attacked by a fox that crept into their home.
According to a spokesman for Dundee City Council, there were seven reported sightings of foxes in various locations across the city in July and a further four in August.
However, the police said while there had been a few reports of urban foxes being shot in the city there have been no attacks on residents.
A police spokesman said, "There have been no reported incidents of foxes making a nuisance of themselves or attacking humans in Dundee."
One man from the Lochee area told The Courier he has definitely noticed a rise in the urban predators.
He said, "There seems to be a family of them living down around the Myrekirk Road which I've spotted a few nights when I'm driving home.
"Then last night I was coming home down Clepington Road and nearly ran one over. It just turned and gave me a look. They just seem to be unperturbed and used to the terrain. Until nine months ago I had only seen them in the wild."
He added that people ought to realise their actions could be contributing to an increase in fox numbers.
"I think people ought to be aware that when they put out food for the birds they could be feeding other animals," he said.
"If foxes are being pests I think they should be dealt with humanely but I don't agree with idiots who take pleasure in killing them after chasing them half to death."
According to the council's pest control department website, "Controlling urban foxes is difficult, expensive, and rarely successful.
"The problem is that foxes have been in urban areas for so long that they have reached a state of equilibrium and regulate the size of their own population.
"Not only is urban fox control unlikely to achieve anything, it is both difficult and very expensive. Shooting is obviously not acceptable in urban areas, nor is snaring and so only live trapping is left."
The council spokesman directed residents concerned about urban foxes to the website where they can find information on the animals' habitats and practical advice on how to try to deter them.
Image used from Wikimedia Commons.
01.29pm - 13.09.2010 MJT - Angus, UK Report This
Dont kill any foxes also dont staring at them - just leave foxes alone as it free country as foxes can run about. Foxes dont attack people as some people were attacked cos of jumping too quickly, just stay still until it go away - it dont harm people by foxes.
07.47am - 14.09.2010 Foxy - Dundee, angus Report This
What is the website name spoken about in the article. We have a fox who is getting very brave and had a fight with our dog. I dont want him harmed but want to deter him from the garden
01.51pm - 14.09.2010 Andy K - Shoeburyness, Englandshire Report This
'Mauled'? Good grief! Foxes do not 'maul'. Lions maul, tigers maul, sharks, well a shark'll bite you in half, but please, a fox?<br />The fox hysteria is getting ridiculous now. Britain is in an economic mess, and all the Courier can print is this nonsense?
02.35pm - 14.09.2010 kelvin thomas - narberth, pembrokeshire Report This
Only since the coalition government came to power have these stories surfaced!!! They want to repeal the Hunting Act...co-incidence or what!!!???<br />Leave the fox alone (along with deer,stag,badger,hare etc)
03.30pm - 14.09.2010 Sandie - Leicester, UK Report This
I sincerely hope that the public wake up to the irresponsible and anti-fox reporting by so many papers at the moment. These stories have only surfaced since the new government took charge and, whaddya know, they just happen to want to overturn the hunting ban!!!!
03.44pm - 14.09.2010 Sally Nicholson-Fisher - london, England Report This
"The fox poised over her head". <br /> Poised to do what? Slit her throat with the kitcken knife it had brought along? Chat about the repeal of the hunting bill? Tell her to keep her windows closed at night? Nonsense, as are all the other daft stories.
04.11pm - 14.09.2010 S Webster - Battle, UK Report This
Nowhere in your article do you have any evidence of peoples fears needing to be allayed. You mention a couple of alleged (and as yet un proven) incidents of fox attacks but don't come up with a single Dundee resident who is genuinely fearful. Even the man from Lochee doesn't seem bothered by them
04.20pm - 14.09.2010 Patricia Mertens - Nijmegen, The Netherlands Report This
I find it hard to believe! I live in the most densely populated country of the world (Holland) and it has plenty of foxes, but no such stories over here! <br />To be honest I think the pro hunting lobby must have something to do with these stories!
06.52pm - 14.09.2010 Sylvia Warner - London, England Report This
I have had foxes visiting my garden for years and even the ones that are used to me will run away if I make a sudden movement. What a coincidence that foxes are alleged to be suddenly attacking humans just when there's a new government in place - who just happen to be in favour of fox-hunting!
06.53pm - 14.09.2010 S Collins - banbury, uk Report This
Breeding foxes have lived at the bottom of my garden for over 7 years. They have not bitten me, not attacked or killed any neighbouring cats, not attacked my dog, not broken into my home to attack me, nor attacked any of the primary school children in the playing fields where their dens are. Sorry!
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