Culling won’t cure the urban fox problem

Dear Editor

While fox hunting is a very relevant political topic at present, it is also important not to forget other horrors facing foxes in urban environments, namely culling carried out by pest controllers. Animal Aid has been inundated by concerned members of the public, horrified at news of urban foxes being culled near their homes. Foxes are generally trapped and shot and at this time of year fox cubs are still reliant on their mothers to survive. If a mother fox is trapped and killed her babies will starve to death. If a fox (or indeed a family of foxes) is killed the vacant territory will quickly be taken over by new foxes, thus resulting in an endless cycle of trapping and culling. The government recommends the use of non-lethal, humane deterrence as the most effective way of resolving any conflicts one may be having with foxes. Humane methods of deterrence are often cheaper in the long-term and satisfy everyone: those who do not want foxes to be unnecessarily killed, and those who do not want them on their property. Tod Bradbury, Animal Aid