Streetlife

Chris, I agree with you about putting out black bags, the other problem is irresponsible people dropping their fast food leftovers in the street.

The fast food outlets should take more responsibility and keep their environments clean and the council should fine people dropping litter or better still get them out on the street cleaning up other peoples litter and see how they like it.

You can not stop people leaving their doors and windows open, we do need some fresh air.

Also bear in mind foxes were here before us.

>Also bear in mind foxes were here before us.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
So they should be allowed the occasional child?

Cold was here, so we built shelter and lit fires.  Disease was here, so we developed medicine.  Hunger was here, so we learned how to farm efficiently.

I brought up the subject of Foxes at a meeting last night when I attended the Repairs & Maintenance Group (formerly run by Redbridge Homes) as a council tenant.  It was suggested that people get wheelie bins (not big ones) so that the dustmen can lift the black bags out of them and foxes can't get to the rubbish.  Whilst I agree that all wildlife should be protected, our children also need to be protected.  If any othere type of wild animal roamed our streets, they would be captured and locked in a zoo.  If a wolves roamed the streets it would certainly apply to them, so why not foxes which are like wolves.  To have starving animals roaming around is not a kindness to the animals.  To feed them only encourages them to come into the towns and cities when they should be in the countryside.  Therefore, just as people protect wildlife in Africa and other such countries, there needs to be some care and protection to foxes and other wildlife so that they can live safely in their own environment.  How, I'm not sure as I don't know enough about such things - what do you think?

I agree that wheelie bins are a good idea I am surprised that we don't have them. 
I have to day though about the foxes we can hardly blame them when we build a world of concrete around there habitats. We moved in on them and hunted them in the countryside it is no wonder they stay in the city.

Urban foxes aren't dispossesed country foxes!

In reply to Susan H, what rubbish you are talking. Foxes are like wolves you claim, they are as much like wolves as cats are like lions! Maybe we should capture all dogs and cats and lock them up for the safety of our children. While we are at it how about capturing those other wild animals out there- the squirrels! We can then all sleep safely in our beds.

My apologies - I meant that they are wild animals unlike dogs and cats and I meant they should be protected and cared for but they are not at the moment, are they, otherwise they wouldn't be in such poor condition (ie. with mange) or starving.

Foxes come into my garden as I leave cat crunchies for stray cats.  If I as much as move the curtain to look out they run off.  They seem scared of humans.

Domestic pets are protected and cared for.  Wild animals take their own chances.  Isn't that the definition of "pet" and "wild"?

>Foxes come into my garden as I leave cat crunchies for stray cats.

Which is just as irresponsible as leaving out an unsecured sack of rubbish.

Not really as torn rubbish sacks leave a lot of mess in a front garden - my crunchies are out the back in my own space.

Either way, fox food is being made available.  And they won't stay just in YOUR garden.

I don't find anything inherently wrong with foxes - I think reports of them being a danger have been exceptional and exaggerated.  Who leaves their door open at night to let them in anyway!

Jill, although I partially agree with you, please bear in mind that we do leave our windows open in summer and foxes can jump through windows.

I am sorry to say that by leaving out food doe's encourage them into our gardens.

This is true but, in my experience, they are only ever after food and never hang around.  I rarely see them, in fact.

So they come to you for lunch, then off to annoy someone else!  They certainly hang around in MY garden. My shed's about to collapse into their diggings (yes, I've tried lots of things to get rid of them) and there are big holes under several trees.  They're not feeding on MY premises, but they must be doing so somewhere not too far away.

One man's Nature Reserve can be his neighbour's Vermin Sanctuary. We can all get along together, I'm sure.  But what you do DOES affect others.

It's so much easier in the country.  Chickens good, foxes bad.  No sentiment - shoot the buggers!  When you've seen what a fox does to a chicken, you don't stay sentimental about what a hound does to a fox.

I agree with the majority of people here that urban foxes really aren't that much of a nuisance. 

In regards to the story, the main question that springs to mind is why a door was left open in the middle of winter? Foxes will come inside...it happened to me last summer when I was in the living room, the dog suddenly went mad and it was because a fox had come through the kitchen and right up into the hall. BUT, that was summer and the door was open. Also, perhaps I'm a cynic, but the baby's parents had dogs...could they perhaps be trying to cover up that it was actually a dog attack?

Anyhow, I don't see a problem with foxes unless we're actively feeding them. That is not good; it causes a population boom and creates a large population which often then become diseased. I'd far rather see a few beautiful and healthy specimens roaming around, then lots of poor, thin and mangy cubs.

It's not Foxes that cause the mess, it's people. see photo of 169 bus attached

A neighbour's pet ferret, inadequately housed, once got out and came into our back garden where we kept Belgium Giant rabbits for breeding. We lost one doe,her litter and another litter before I could get out the back door. Fortunately I grabbed it correctly by the scruff of the neck and deposited it in the outside loo, with door and window tightly shut. Panic over I rang round and the neighbour collected it and assured me it had been returned to the previous owner.

We gave up keeping rabbits shortly afterwards!

I just watch then clap my hands when a fox appears. They soon move away.

In nature, the rabbits would have had a fighting chance with a warren to hide in.  You took over responsibility for their protection, and it proved inadequate. If you're GOING to meddle, do it effeciently!  Protect your animals, kill their predators before the predators kill them.

Chigwell comes under Epping Forest Council and in the few years we've had to use wheelie bins there have been noticeably fewer foxes around.  We have one wheelie for household rubbish and a separate one with a green lid for garden and food waste.  Recycling (paper, tins, plastic food trays like those used on ready-meals etc) is put in transparent bags the size of black bin bags, and those are the ones which occasionally invite foxes.  I rinse all food containers before putting them in the bag, and have never had it torn open by an animal but I know that not everbody bothers to do so.  Perhaps if they did, there's be no inviting smell of food.  But it's not always foxes - it's cats too - probably the ones that sadly are put out at night.

>it's cats too - probably the ones that sadly are put out at night.

Let's not start on that one!  Cats are crepuscular outdoor creatures, who love to patrol their territory.  Mine DEMANDS to go out at night.  It's even part of the English language "Have you put the cat out?"

I live in Chigwell (IG7) aswell but we come under Redbridge. So far we haven't been given wheelie bins. We use black plastic bin bags which are locked in an outside cupboard so the foxes can't get to them. We have 3 other coloured plastic bins for recycling paper, card and glass, plastic and tin. So far the scheme seems to run quite well.

Redbridge dustmen seem more tolerant than those in many other areas. They will empty old-style dustbins, pick up black sacks... I don't see too much fuss.  Some places seem to have so many ways they WON'T accept refuse.

Yes, our refuse collectors are great!