The farmers and anti-hunt brigade are jumping on the band wagon about foxes, in the aftermath of the ‘strange’ case of a fox apparently attacking and injuring a baby in a Bromley nr London house. There is indeed a problem of foxes being in town areas – they belong in the countryside. The reason they move in is simply because food is available. Not only is rubbish left around, or drunks & litter louts drop their kebab remains in the street, but some animal loving idiots actually feed them, ignoring the fact that they are wild animals not cuddly pets. Foxes don’t normally attack people and will run away (out with my dog late last night, I saw 2 foxes in my snow covered local park and they both immediately scarpered).

The current news made me think about the attitude of the majority of farmers and major landowners to wild animals – they hate them and say they are all vermin, so do nothing to protect the feral life of our countryside. Unless wild animals and birds have been protected in law, they will get rid of them. They kill squirrels, rabbits, hares, foxes, otters, crows, weasels, pigeons, polecats, and badgers if they can get a licence {field mice are normally spared – as long as they don’t come near the grain store).

They do of course breed and protect pheasants – until it is time to shoot them for fun; also stag is fair game for shooting fun; grouse shooting has to be massive for real fun and is the prerogative of the ruling class.

Humans have driven many other species to extension or out of their normal territory, and if allowed will continue to cruelly do so, in the guise of self protection or land management.

It is also of great concern to me that in this day and age there are still Zoos & Parks where healthy captive wild animals are stored for the curiosity and amusement of people. Places that provide a refuge for damaged animals or provide breeding programmes for endangered species are commendable – but most animals need to be returned to the wild and live a natural life.