Fox Leg Amputation: A Reason To Kill?

 I was told quite authoritatively that "a fox losing a leg cannot survive in the wild. If it's a front leg then it needs to be put down" -no "ifs", "buts" or "maybes" -put it down. Fox health and welfare is something I have looked at a lot since 1976. I could bore on wild canids for England.

I heard, in the 1970s, of a fox that had a back leg missing and it was suspected that it was down to a snare or trap. It was not expected to survive long. It was still going four years later and catching rabbits.

There are a lot of stories of three legged foxes and the question has to be why should a fox that could lead a perfectly good life be put down because it has a leg missing?

Growing up in the 1960s I would see the occasional three legged pet dog. Nothing unusual. I saw more around in the 1980s and in one week during the 1990s I saw four -all perfectly fit and healthy.

"But those are domestic dogs, you idiot: they have people looking after them and feeding them!" Well, yes, but I knew a man with a three legged Jack Russel that he still took around to businesses as a rat catcher and the dog had no problem: it had learnt to work on three legs and adjust its balance, etc..

So, yeah, if I was dumb enough and had not spent most of my life on foxes I might believe three legged foxes cannot survive in the wild.  However, what I have learnt is that so long as there is that fight and spark of life to survive a fox will and it will make you look a fool for doubting it.

There is Missy the three legged fox which is at a rescue -so not the wild. But it is alive.

Fripps Farm Animal Rescue Little Randolph our three legged fox. He’s staying here for life as he had to have one of his front legs amputated before he came here

Newhouse Wildlife Rescue obviously had not been told that you have to kill a fox if it has to lose a front leg. This one is doing well.

Newhouse Wildlife Rescue

Another three legged fox in the wild

And another three legged fox in the wild "It moved FAST!"

A two legged fox (not having had veterinary amputations so this was possibly from birth -it was hunting and eating before anyone had ever seen it before.

Finally; very active, gets in and out of things like a normal fox. It has three legs. We checked and the leg was not amputated by a vet and any leg injury in Bristol that went to a local rescue was automatically put to sleep. So...how did this fox cub survive? How is he running about and being a fox with three legs?

Take a look at this still from a trail cam. This vixen has been visiting the site for over one year. And this year her cub is with her....

...she has a front leg missing. Well, she's survived, mated and raised a cub.

"If a fox loses its front leg it cannot survive and best to put it down" Really? 

The above has a nice stump. We have checked and it certainly was no amputation by a vet -they would consider PTS. I would guess that this was from birth as it looks too clean and natural and it goes anywhere it wants. Its overall body condition is excellent -as is its speed.  So..trap and kill? No. It will live its natural life we hope and if it got to this age it is not "barely" surviving.

Foxes with back legs missing I avoided in the main as there are a few out there. Even it it is decided by a hum,an that a fox losing a front leg means it has to stay in a rescue it is still far better than being killed. Look at the photos of the foxes that have lost front legs and are surviving in the wild. Photographs and videos speak volumes and to press home a point does anyone remember the two legged, FAST moving fox that got into the news a while back?  

Never, ever underestimate a fox and its will to survive and live and with fox numbers declining sharply it's not too much to ask humans to actually do somnething to help them for once.