Foxes visiting the garden

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I believe it is illegal to move foxes in the UK.

No, this is not the case.

 

[user 20297]

Are foxes able to tell the difference between cis men and transmen?

I don't know, but if they can then I doubt that they care.

 

[Hachi]

Even country foxes are difficult to deter once they've found food on your land but at this time of year trap and release or shooting of vixens would be inhumane as there are almost certainly dependant cubs somewhere near by.
While I have absolutely zero sympathy for foxes ( I also keep hens as well as bees ) I would say that any action you take should not cause unnecessary suffering.

Traps need to be inspected at least every 24 hrs and seeing as it is in a garden I'm not sure where the inhumanity comes in.

 

[pargyle]

No, this is not the case.

According to the Government website:

Catch with cage traps and snares

You can use cage traps and snares to catch foxes.

You should check cage traps at least once a day to stop a captured fox suffering.

You shouldn’t relocate or release captured foxes. This will cause foxes stress by transporting and relocating them to an unfamiliar environment.

You must:

• only use free-running snares, which relax when the animal is captured
• check snares at least once a day
• humanely kill any fox you catch while it’s in the trap or snare
• release all other animals unharmed – except grey squirrels and mink, which you must humanely kill

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/foxes-moles-and-mink-how-to-protect-your-property-from-damage

 

[Hachi]

You shouldn’t relocate or release captured foxes. This will cause foxes stress by transporting and relocating them to an unfamiliar environment.

Wish some of the animal charities would heed that advice.

... and killing really means a professional trapping and humanely killing them unless you have the size garden where you can legitimately discharge a firearm.

I know quite a few individuals that can and do fulfill this service. Depending on what you mean by "professional" here is key. None of those I would recommend do it for money and know their stuff whereas I've seen a few "Pesties" do it for the £'s who I wouldn't trust with a broom stick and a dirty floor Phil.

Legitimately discharging a firearm and size of garden are not necessarily linked either. Right tool for the right job comes to mind.

 

[pargyle]

Wish some of the animal charities would heed that advice.



I know quite a few individuals that can and do fulfill this service. Depending on what you mean by "professional" here is key. None of those I would recommend do it for money and know their stuff whereas I've seen a few "Pesties" do it for the £'s who I wouldn't trust with a broom stick and a dirty floor Phil.

Legitimately discharging a firearm and size of garden are not necessarily linked either. Right tool for the right job comes to mind.

Yes ... My comment about professional was more intended as someone who knew what they were doing rather than any 3 day trained rat catcher.

I have a Weihrauch HW 95K .177 Air rifle which I will happily use for rats in the garden but even that can be zeroed to 30 yds in still conditions with the standard spring so it's just about the limit for my garden and I'm happier shooting from a bedroom window down onto the lawn rather than ground level, level.shots as misses will travel twice that distance. It would not kill a fox ...you need something a bit more substantial and I can't think that would ever be an urban garden gun.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

According to the Government website:

Catch with cage traps and snares

You shouldn’t relocate or release captured foxes. This will cause foxes stress by transporting and relocating them to an unfamiliar environment.

It may be what they advise but unfortunately (and I did check the legislation a while ago) it is not Illegal to relocate the fox, just not advisable, the clue is in the word shouldn't rather than must not

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I believe it is illegal to move foxes in the K. Like grey squirrels they are vermin.

People seem to believe that foxes are classed as vermin, but that's a common misconception they are not they are classed as pests which is a totally different thing, they are protected by animal welfare laws same as any other wild animal thus the bit Pargyle has misinterpreted about their movement where it clearly states is due to stress caused to the wild animal, not the obligation to destroy.
And I'm speaking from the position of someone who has been heavily involved with the destruction of foxes as an an agricultural pest, using firearms of all kinds, plus other methods, since I was a nipper.

 

[pargyle]

It may be what they advise but unfortunately (and I did check the legislation a while ago) it is not Illegal to relocate the fox, just not advisable, the clue is in the word shouldn't rather than must not

Yes - there's some ambiguity in the wording ... you MUST kill any fox you trap humanely in the trap or snare.

There's a dichotomy in the two statements - if you MUST kill it in the trap how is it that you SHOULDN'T release it ...

and there is more (again with some ambiguity).

"Thus the removal of a fox from its home range and dumping it elsewhere (known as 'hard-release) is almost certainly an offence of cruelty under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and is condemned by the government's Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). "

 

[Antipodes]

Yes - there's some ambiguity in the wording ... you MUST kill any fox you trap humanely in the trap or snare.

There's a dichotomy in the two statements - if you MUST kill it in the trap how is it that you SHOULDN'T release it ...

and there is more (again with some ambiguity).

"Thus the removal of a fox from its home range and dumping it elsewhere (known as 'hard-release) is almost certainly an offence of cruelty under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and is condemned by the government's Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). "

It's important to have made an appropriate decision as to what to do with any animal you trap prior to trapping it.

 

[Happygran]

We have foxes living quietly on our land. So far they have never troubled our chickens. I woke one night to the sound of caterwauling and whimpering. Our 10 year old long haired overweight cat was supervising the slinking departure up the drive of a very embarrassed fox. The cat watched it leaving and stalked off then turned back to ensure it was really leaving. Who needs firearms? We also have a pair of vulture magpies who'll eat anything - but not the bees - very useful for disposing of the dead rat the cat left on the kitchen floor. It's called the circle of life.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Looking for suggestions on fox deterrents. One is visiting the garden nightly and disturbing the peace! Our dog goes ballistic. I’ve been removing the bird feeders etc. A search on the internet suggests anti fox sprays. Do these work? Any other ideas welcome. Thanks.

So Emily. We have a variety of fox elimination procedures and a debate on whether they are legal or not.
Has it helped?
I gather the issue wasn't the fox but your dog's reaction?

 

[E&MBees]

So Emily. We have a variety of fox elimination procedures and a debate on whether they are legal or not.
Has it helped?
I gather the issue wasn't the fox but your dog's reaction?

Well, I have taken a multi pronged approach. Heidi (the dog) is undergoing a period of de-sensitisation. I have ordered a scent deterrent as my teenage daughter objected to her dad and brothers watering the garden! Having established the route in, from the neighbouring garden I have removed our garden bench to stop it jumping in. The trail camera hasn’t picked up anything yet.
Thanks for the help.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well, I have taken a multi pronged approach. Heidi (the dog) is undergoing a period of de-sensitisation. I have ordered a scent deterrent as my teenage daughter objected to my husband and son’s watering the garden! Having established the route in, from the neighbouring garden I have removed our garden bench to stop it jumping in. The trail camera hasn’t picked up anything yet.
Thanks for the help.

Brilliant. That seems much more constructive than arguing about the semantics of the law.

 

[user 20297]

Brilliant. That seems much more constructive than arguing about the semantics of the law.

....or p*****g in the wind.

 

[E&MBees]

....or p*****g in the wind.

That would be cheaper!

 

[fionastennings]

We don't have foxes, unlike the mainland, partly due to one of the world's largest invasive pest eradication programmes ever attempted, but electric fences are excellent for many pests. See this for foxes....would be expensive.

https://pestsmart.org.au/toolkit-resource/fencing-for-fox-control/

the only invasive pest are humans!!

 

[Ystranc]

Traps need to be inspected at least every 24 hrs and seeing as it is in a garden I'm not sure where the inhumanity comes in.

at this time of year trap and release or shooting of vixens would be inhumane as there are almost certainly dependant cubs somewhere near by.

While I'm not correcting Hachi I would like to clarify my original post.
I was not commenting on the method of controlling/culling foxes, just the time of year.
I'm simply saying that it would be inhumane to deprive dependant cubs of their mother and leave them to starve. As an active hunter and trapper I am well aware of the law regarding live capture traps and best practice for their use.
Trapping and shooting are emotive subjects that tend to draw a great deal of scrutiny from a very unsympathetic public so it is necessary not only to stay within the law but to be seen to be as humane as possible by those that may not understand the reasons for our actions and may strongly disagree with them.

 

[Hachi]

While I'm not correcting Hachi I would like to clarify my original post.
I was not commenting on the method of controlling/culling foxes, just the time of year.
I'm simply saying that it would be inhumane to deprive dependant cubs of their mother and leave them to starve. As an active hunter and trapper I am well aware of the law regarding live capture traps and best practice for their use.
Trapping and shooting are emotive subjects that tend to draw a great deal of scrutiny from a very unsympathetic public so it is necessary not only to stay within the law but to be seen to be as humane as possible by those that may not understand the reasons for our actions and may strongly disagree with them.

There are barren and dry vixens abound and it is possible, the cubs would have been pushed off to find their own territory by now dependent on when the vixen gave birth. Its also 50/50 it could be a dog fox caught. Also its in a garden in Bath so extremely likely with this pandemic the cage would be almost continuously monitored. Who is advocating breaking any law??

I think the OP has found her chosen method so any further debate wont add anything to the issue so best we draw a line under it and move on?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I think the OP has found her chosen method so any further debate wont add anything to the issue so best we draw a line under it and move on?