Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Council urged not to trap or kill foxes
12 November 2014

The Irish Council Against Blood Sports is urging Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council not to trap or kill foxes. At a meeting this week, the council passed a motion calling on the National Parks and Wildlife Service to address the urban fox “problem”.

"We appeal to the Council to only consider employing humane, non-lethal approaches to any problem, e.g. deterrence and the removal of attractants," ICABS stated in an appeal to Councillors. "Urban foxes are a natural phenomenon and while some residents may perceive them as pests, many more locals would welcome the sight of a fox in a park or garden. We appeal to you to reject any move to trap or shoot these creatures - not only is this cruel but it would be ineffective (a fox removed from a territory creates a vacancy which nature fills with another fox)."

Fine Gael Councillor Barry Ward's motion came amid claims that foxes are a threat to pets and are tearing bins apart.

ICABS has told the council that foxes are not a threat to pets, pointing out that cats can defend themselves very well and that in most fox-cat encounters, the animals ignore each other. Similarly, foxes would typically avoid confrontation with dogs.

As for the suggestion that foxes are disturbing contents of bins, this can be solved simply by using bins with a secure lid.

We encouraged the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Councillors to read a Fox Project article which deals with humane fox deterrence - Ihttp://www.foxproject.org.uk/deterrence/

Watch the 28 minute Council discussion below

Make a donation to ICABS

Please consider making a small donation to ICABS. For more details, please click on the button below or follow this link to find out how to become a campaign supporter. Thank you.