Why Action Needs To Be Taken

 In the United States if dead wildlife is found under odd circumstances (not road-kill) whether fox, coyote, raccoons -the Department of Natural Resources pick them up and transport them for post mortem examination.

At the moment we know of POSSIBLE killers of young foxes:

1. Vixen or both parents killed before cubs are old enough and dehydration etc. causes weakness and collapse and unless found early they die.
2. Fly-strike which is not just something you find on rabbits. Thios leads to weakness and eventual death unless the fox is trapped and treated correctly.
3. Possibility of heart worm
4. Mange
5. Poisoning
6. Snaring, trapping, shooting
7. Top of the list really -car strike

Mange and road0kill are obvious to spot and if you get close enough fly-strike you can see. However, DEFRA, the APHA and WIIS will flounce about making excuses and whether the death fits their criteria (knowing full well that foxes dead and in the open will be eaten or become pointless to examine if they delay long enough).

Supposedly, DEFRA and its various agencies are on the alert for the rise of any new animal originating viruses. Sitting on their backsides and doing nothing when 10 cubs and a vixen have died under unusual circumstances is not really being "alert".

As a matter of course any suspicious fox death, especially if deliberate poisoning is suspected (an illegal act), should be reported to DEFRA and then DEFRA should contact a local vet able to carry out sample taking and a post mortem to pass findings along.

There is absolutely no reason why this should not be possible. Once I have gathered enough information I will present this to DEFRA as well as to UK Chief Constables because to say the local Police Wildlife Crimes Officers are in many cases doing nothing of any substance to track down poisoners of animals is fact.

Local people having to confront the person poisoning in one case after the police did nothing (West Midlands force so that does not surprise me) or after three generations of foxes are poisoned in one London street (danger to pets then being high) to state "poisoning by persons unknown" or even a downright refusal to carry out post mortems on the foxes to see what poison was used (sales of a specific poison to a person in the street etc).

This has to stop. People are helping foxes by treating mange or other injuries but that they have to confront someone or go out each night to pick up the poison bait is ludicrous.