Remember -cub season. An adult fox killed results in cubs starving slowly to death.
Sutton Council another anti wildlife authority.
Incidentally the greatest threat to ground nesting birds in the UK, proven any number of times over the decades, are sheep and sheep farming.
As both the school involved and Lord Knight have failed to respond to this email it is now publicly published.
Email sent 17th April 2023 to Ms Stephanie Moore Executive Head Teacher Perry Primary School and Lord Knight of Weymouth Chair of the Board of Trustees
Hello.
I was shocked to hear that the head teacher and board of governors at Perry Court Primary had decided to call in a pest control company to get rid of a vixen and cubs on the school premises. Several parents were shocked by this and local fox rescue was contacted.
It appears that the head teacher and board of governors decided to circumvent getting any professional advice from either the RSPCA, Avon Wildlife Trust, Secret world wildlife rescue, etc. who could have advised on the matter. A vixen and cubs are absolutely no threat to humans whether adults or children. In fact, the local fox rescuer on hearing about the situation advised that if the vixen and cubs were left they would soon move on once the noise of children going back to school disturbed them -this is what vixens do regularly. The rescuer was told that there was no compromise and that the foxes “need to be out by Saturday morning or the pest control takes over”.
The lack of cooperation can be categorised as obstruction. Regarding the legal situation:
DEFRA on foxes https://www.gov.uk/guidance/foxes-moles-and-mink-how-to-protect-your-property-from-damage#foxes
Foxes Foxes are not protected for conservation purposes in England. The owner or occupier of the property where a problem with foxes occurs can decide when to control them. You or anyone you employ to control the foxes must protect their welfare. To discourage foxes from coming to your property you should: • secure food waste in bins • use fencing to protect pets and livestock from foxes If the problem continues you can use the control methods set out in this guide. You must not: • use gassing or poisoning • block or destroy fox earths if they are occupied • use dogs to hunt foxes • You should check cage traps at least once a day to stop a captured fox (or non-target species) suffering.
You should not relocate or release captured foxes from an urban environment into the countryside. Transporting and relocating foxes to an unfamiliar environment will cause them stress. Any foxes, moles and mink that you catch are protected under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. You can be jailed and get an unlimited fine for causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.
You must not block or destroy fox earths if they are occupied That last point is very important asif the den has cubs in it then it is illegal to remove those cubs. The rescuer found that the pest control firm employed had never dealt a fox before. On arriving at the school the rescuer found what she described as “horrible traps” in which the pest control company hoped to trap the vixen or the cubs individually. The rescuer immediately shut down. Against DEFRA guidelines and the law the pest control company stated that they were going to carry out, their own words, “a hard release”. In this case (if they did as stated and we have found in the past pest controllers not releasing but killing foxes once off site) the vixen and cubs were to be taken from the school grounds to Leigh Woods outside Bristol. An urban fox dumped in the countryside and there was not even the consideration that this might placing the vixen in conflict with other foxes and endanger the lives of the cubs.
The rescuer suggested that the school use Fox-a-gon, a company with a national reputation for humane trapping and relocating foxes be contacted. The school, apparently decided that at £1000 for the service the pest control company (which had never dealt with foxes before and obviously were as ignorant of the law on den disturbance as the school) was charging £750 and the ‘best’ choice.
As it was the efforts of the fox rescuer resulted in the vixen removing the cubs before the pest control company were due to arrive.
Parents and others are, quite rightly, angry and shocked at what the school had decided to do and some have pointed out that with a cheap camera this would have afforded a good educational opportunity for pupils to see “wildlife on the doorstep”.
The British Fox Study publishes a public list of companies and other bodies using pest control on foxes or carrying out den destruction. Perry Primary will be added to this list.
With so many wildlife rescues and bodies in and around Bristol it is unbelievable that the school never even checked the legality of what they had decided to do. Perhaps it might be appropriate for the school to organise wildlife educational lessons -for staff and pupils.
We lose an estimated 55-65,000+ badgers on the roads each year, add to that thousands killed "for fun" or "taxidermy to order" and some 33,627 have been 'legally' killed in 2023 based on no scientific evidence. We are pushing the badger to the point of extinction after it defied that final step for centuries.
We have a similar if not higher number of foxes dying each year and, again, roads take the largest number but shooters, snarers or people who just do not like wildlife take a huge number. We also know that fox cubs as well as adults suffer a high mortality rate from injury and illness/disease.
When I joined the RSPB in the 1970s one of the first things I was asked was whether I'd care to "volunteer for the annual bash" and I was confused until it was explained that seagulls and other birds are an awful nuisance so each year their nests and eggs were destroyed by the RSPB.
You cannot claim to be looking after the environment and wildlife when you are paying people to go out and kill other species that "are not the pretty ones we like"
I do not care for the addition to this article -ex cricketer Ian Botham showing a total lack of any brain matter (he is, like other celebrities of course, someone who likes the prestige of the "country set" like Alan Titchmarsh) on how we need to discuss humane ways to kill foxes. That is typical pro hunt talk because they must have something to kill.
Also we do know that RSPB contractors in the past have 'accidentally' disposed of badgers.
If you are an RSPB supporter, sponsor or donator then right now (if you never knew before) you should be hanging your head in shame.
Trying to save and preserve wildlife IS a war and when you find that the people also supposed to be on your side are anti-wildlife it gets harder. But idiots like Botham, Titchmarsh, Clunes, etc as well as organisations such as the RSPB need to have it made clear to them that enough is enough. The RSPCA is already withdrawing support for sick and injured wildlife.
When will people start pushing back -extinction is forever
The RSPB is employing people to kill birds and foxes and hide it from the public, The Telegraph can reveal.
The charity has been seeking contractors to shoot foxes and catch crows using controversial traps which use live birds as bait and instructing that it must be done “away from public view”.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has even said that in “exceptional circumstances” it will allow wounded foxes to be hunted using dogs.
Lord Botham has said that methods used by the “eco-left charity, which constantly chastises countryside folk for what they do” shows the need to “move away from the Disney view of the countryside in which we pretend that tough choices on controlling predators can be avoided”.
The RSPB has regularly clashed with shooting and countryside organisations over the management of predators and has been accused of unfairly accusing gamekeepers of wrongdoing.
The instructions have emerged as part of a tender for “an appropriately qualified and experienced contractor to undertake the lethal control of foxes and crows” in order to protect curlews, which are ground-nesting birds.
The documents, seen by The Telegraph, say that the contractor is expected to “provide and to run Larsen traps, away from public view, to remove territorial crows that have learned behaviours to target curlew eggs and chicks”.
It says that the traps should be “baited with a territorial call bird” and emphasises that they should “be positioned in an area which is hidden from public view”.
Potential employees are told that they should shoot foxes and then “move out of view from the public and to appropriately dispose” of the dead animals.
The tender adds: “In exceptional circumstances, dogs may be used to track a wounded fox, only with prior agreement from the RSPB.”
The charity includes strict monitoring and reporting rules for the contractor.
The tender is for a contract worth up to £92,320 which runs for four years from March 2021 to July next year at Upper Lough Erne near Fermanagh in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where hunting with dogs is still allowed. There are various exceptions to the ban in Scotland, England and Wales, where professionals are allowed to use two dogs to stalk or flush foxes.
The contract is part of an EU-funded project across the UK to protect curlews, the population of which the RSPB notes has declined by 48 per cent since the mid-1990s.
“The UK holds around a quarter of the global breeding population,” the tender states. “Due to their rapid decline, the global importance of the UK breeding population and their globally near threatened status on the IUCN red list, curlew are probably one of the most urgent bird conservation priorities in the UK.”
Louisa Cheape, a vet who sits on the committee of The Veterinary Association for Wildlife Management, said that whilst shooting foxes was “very effective” there are concerns over it as a conservation practice and about how humane it is.
The RSPB specification says that all shots “must be carried out in a humane, competent and safe manner” and can be taken at less than 200 metres.
During the badger cull, as a comparison, marksmen were only allowed to take a shot from a maximum of 70m.
“Two hundred metres is an enormous range for an animal of that size at night,” Mrs Cheape said.
“It would be very difficult to know whether you had killed or wounded that animal.”
A study has shown that even for a skilled marksman shooting a fox with a rifle at night the kill rate is below 50 per cent and drops the further away they are from the animal.
Mrs Cheape said that it would be difficult to find, especially at night, and the “suffering of the animal is directly related to the time that it spends wounded”.
Writing in today’s Telegraph, Lord Botham said that it was unclear what the most humane method is of killing a fox as “despite Parliament having spent hundreds of hours debating foxhunting, Tony Blair’s government never commissioned any science”.
Lord Botham called for “a debate about the acceptable way to kill a fox” and for “proper science” to inform the discussion.
The RSPB, which says Larsen traps are the most effective way of controlling crowns, sets out rules for their use including that they are checked twice a day and live bait birds are provided with food and shelter.
While these will mitigate any suffering “it is absolutely not without its welfare implications” because of the size of the cage the birds are kept in and the distress at being trapped, Mrs Cheape said.
An RSPB spokesman said “The decision to introduce any form of animal control is something we never take lightly and is always a last resort.
“The RSPB is open and transparent about why it is sometimes necessary as we try and protect and restore some of the UK’s most threatened wildlife and habitats, but we appreciate that this is a really difficult and emotive subject for many people.”
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And for those unfamiliar with the RSPCA new guidelines
Following continued problems with vets refusing to treat or even see dying, sick or injured foxes (and other wildlife) I have for the past four years tried politely to explain to vets that first aid response is important and part of their code as members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Recent events have highlighted a continued refusal to treat sick wildlife and so I sent the following email to The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons: 17th April, 2023
"Hello.
You may recall that I contacted you previously regarding RCVS members and their duty to treat wildlife.
Secret World is a wildlife rescue centre established in the 1970s and is well known locally and nationally. One of its rescuers was called out to an abandoned fox cub and was asked to take it to a vet to insure it was uninjured before being transported down to Somerset. Three vets refused to see or check the cub -these were flat refusals for no reason other than they were not interested in wildlife.
Each rescuer carries a copy of the RCVS guideline to show vets but to date this has been met with lack of interest.
Recently one of the rescuers was called out to a malnourished fox (vixen) and it was obvious that it was suffering -the rescuer noted maggots around its reproductive area.
Avon Lodge Veterinary Practice 283 Wells Road, Bristol BS4 2PP -refused to see the fox. This left the rescuer having to then drive to Rowe veterinary practice, Bradley Stoke who also flatly refused to see or (obviously) euthanise the fox. The rescuer then drove to Highcroft Veterinary practice which, likewise, refused to see the obviously suffering animal.
Considering the state of the fox the fact that the rescuer was told she would need to “get a voucher from the RSPCA” before the vet would consider treating shows not just a disregard for wildlife needing help but what amounted to a totally callous disregard for the suffering of a dying animal.
Bounced from one Bristol vet to another the rescuer had to deal with the extra stress of the suffering fox eventually dying in her car.
I have tried for over 4 years to try to politely get vets on board with helping sick or injured foxes (and other wildlife) but the fact is that they flatly refuse with the rare exception. There can be no excuse to disregard the suffering of an animal in the way these vets are doing and will no doubt continue to do.
The British Fox Study has a web site/blog with a world wide audience and it publicly names bodies or businesses that illegally destroy dens as well as take part in other anti wildlife activities. In the next couple of weeks the veterinary practices named in this email will appear on this list. Basically we have been left with no alternative as the disregard for animal suffering by animal care professionals has to be highlighted and this is a step I would sooner not take but after 4 years a line has to be drawn.
Might I suggest that the RCVS advises its members who are anti wildlife to make it clear that they will not treat any sick or injured wildlife to save people the stress of driving around the City and County trying to find a vet who will help end an animals suffering?
Sincerely
T. Hooper-Scharf"
The following response was received from the RCVS today (Friday 21st April 2023)
Dear Mr Hooper-Scharf
Thank you for your email below.
With regards to treating wildlife, veterinary surgeons must adhere to Paragraph 1.4 of the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons. This says “Veterinary surgeons in practice must take steps to provide 24-hour emergency first aid and pain relief to animals according to their skills and the specific situation”.
You may already be aware of Chapter 3 of the RCVS’s Supporting Guidance to the Code of Professional Conduct. This guidance has been produced to assist veterinary professionals with their duties.
I would highlight the following paragraphs which deal with emergency first aid and pain relief:
In the first instance, you may wish to contact the veterinary practices mentioned to raise your concerns directly with them.
I hope the above information is able to help and thank you for contacting the RCVS.
Kind regards"
As I have made this clear to the veterinary practices named repeatedly it seems pointless to once more point out that they are breachi8ng their own code of practice. In future any vet providing aid as required will be noted as will those who continue to breach their own guidelines. |
DEFRA paid to have 33,627 badgers killed so far in 2023. It tested zero for bovine TB
I did like the Natural England quote:
""This is why we have used our powers as regulators to see that justice was done and to act as a stark warning to others that we will take the strongest action against those who do not respect the laws that protect the environment and wildlife we all cherish."
Meanwhile they do nothing and DEFRA are making badgers (a 'protected' species in the UK) extinct.
Some thinking is off kilter here.
A farmer has been jailed after illegally bulldozing a riverside beauty spot, causing a "devastating" effect on local wildlife.
John Price, 68, claimed he used a digger to dredge a stretch of the River Lugg near Leominster, Herefordshire, in December 2020 to protect local homes from flooding.
But Natural England officials said the river - a protected Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and one of the UK’s most important salmon rivers - had been "decimated" by the work and habitats of "iconic wildlife" such as otters, kingfishers and salmon had also been destroyed.
Price was found guilty of seven offences relating to breaching a Natural England stop notice at Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court and has been jailed for 12 months.
He has also been disqualified from being a company director for three years and has been ordered to repay the estimated £655,000 cost of the damage to the river and its embankments, along with £600,000 in court costs.
Sentencing Price, Judge Ian Strongman said: "Any person could not fail to be dismayed by the devastation caused by Mr Price - he has turned it into a canal devoid of most life. It is ecological vandalism on an industrial scale.
"It was a desire to reduce the risk of flooding. Some residents who live nearby are grateful for Mr Price for taking this action.
"The Environment Agency said the overall river level as high as recent years but Mr Price's actions have made things worse.
"It is total ignorance to nature and the environment."
Natural England and the Environment Agency described the damage as the worst case of riverside destruction they had ever seen and could take several decades to be fully restored.
John Price used an 18-tonne digger to dredge a section of the River Lugg and stripped a mile-long stretch of the bank of trees, claiming he was fixing the erosion of the river bed and was helping to solve flooding issues.
Homes near to the stretch of river were flooded during Storm Dennis in early 2020, but when Storm Christoph hit in January 2021, they stayed dry.
Speaking after he cleared the riverbank, he said: “I'm a Herefordshire farmer and have lived at Hay Farm and was born here at home.
“I have never moved and have watched this river all my life and no one knows this river better than myself.
“I have always looked after the river. I was asked to stop the erosion because I'm the landowner so I'm responsible for the river.
“It was up to the Environmental Agency to look after these rivers but they don't do any work and haven't got any money to do the work because they spend it all on clipboards.
“I have not pushed any trees out and I haven't knocked any trees down I have only cleared what ones came down in the flood.”
But wildlife experts described his actions as "devastating" and said he had actually weakened flood prevention measures rather than improved them.
Emma Johnson, area manager for Natural England, said: “The destruction of this section of the River Lugg was devastating for the abundance and range of species which thrived in this river.
"The River Lugg is one of the most iconic rivers in the UK and to see this wanton destruction take place was devastating.
"This is why we have used our powers as regulators to see that justice was done and to act as a stark warning to others that we will take the strongest action against those who do not respect the laws that protect the environment and wildlife we all cherish."
Martin Quine, Environment Agency place manager for Herefordshire, said restoring the health of Britain's rivers was a "complex task" that could "only be achieved in partnership with landowners".
He said: “While Mr Price’s justification for the works was to help prevent flooding to local properties, his actions did not have any flood prevention benefit.
"The destruction of river banks is not appropriate flood management. It is important that the Judge recognised that the works significantly weakened flood prevention measures rather than improved them.
“We urge landowners never to take extreme measure such as this and instead to always work closely with the Environment Agency around river management to agree the best solutions for both landowners and the environment.”
Helen Stace, CEO of the Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, described Price's actions previously as a “crime against the environment”, while BBC Gardeners’ World host Monty Don also expressed his shock at the “complete obliteration” of the site.
He said: "It breaks my heart but is all too-typical of the ignorance, arrogance and sheer wanton destruction of those privileged to care for our countryside."
Are there no wildlife rescues with humane traps in South Wales? Its 3(?) weeks and these silver foxes are exotic pets not designed to live in the wild or an urban area. They end up dead due to cars, shooters or lose limbs like the last one from South Wales.
Featured Image Credit: Nik Venn
Members of the public are being urged to call the RSPCA if they spot a rare black fox that has been skulking around the streets in south Wales.
Foxes are usually pretty elusive in the first place - unless you live in London, where they apparently have no fear of hanging out on basically every street corner - but seeing one that isn't the usual orange colour is an even more rare sighting.
It might look like a cat from a distance, but the unusual black creature with pointy ears and a bushy tail is in fact a fox - and a sly one, at that.
And ignore the RSPCA's pretrend fox population number -we lose 50-60,000+ a year on the roads
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Featured Image Credit: Nik Venn
Members of the public are being urged to call the RSPCA if they spot a rare black fox that has been skulking around the streets in south Wales.
Foxes are usually pretty elusive in the first place - unless you live in London, where they apparently have no fear of hanging out on basically every street corner - but seeing one that isn't the usual orange colour is an even more rare sighting.
It might look like a cat from a distance, but the unusual black creature with pointy ears and a bushy tail is in fact a fox - and a sly one, at that.
The RSPCA is on the lookout for the animal after it was seen in two Vale of Glamorgan towns in Wales, but despite officers' best efforts, they weren't able to locate it when they started their search this morning (19 April).
A few locals have shared posts about the fox online after they managed to capture photos of it, with Nik Venn sharing a picture with the caption: "This picture was from Monday morning [17 April] on Bendrick Road, fox heading towards the docks."
Locals said the fox was seen 'having a scratch' and wandering off when it'd 'had his grub', BBC News reports.
According to the RSPCA, the fox is also known as a 'silver fox' - yes, we apparently do get the thirsty compliment from an actual animal - and they're exactly the same as the wild red foxes we have here in the UK, just with different colouration.
"Traditionally, they were bred for their fur but are now sometimes kept as exotic pets," a spokesperson explained, per ITV News.
"Foxes are wild animals with very specific needs that are no different to those of foxes living in the wild and they require specialist care.
"Even the most experienced fox experts have had difficulty keeping adult foxes successfully. Therefore, the RSPCA does not advise or condone keeping foxes as pets."
The RSPCA is asking people to get in touch if they spot the fox, stressing the one seen in Wales was 'not successfully contained' as of today.
Officers 'currently don't know where he/she is', but added that they hope it is 'okay'. If anyone spots the fox and notices that it's injured, they are being urged to call the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999, quoting reference: 01052661.
The fox is one of about 357,000 foxes in Britain, according to the RSPCA, which adds that fox populations in urban areas have increased over the last 20 years.
