Shouild we kill wildlife that kills our pets?

[Malcolm]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/8235940/Giant-fox-caught-in-Maidstone.html

[Inchlaggan]

Interesting question.
Try it this way around.
What would be permissable if the cat got into the neighbours hen coop an killed all the hens?

[Highlander]

No, I think were possible Wild Life should be left alone. It is we humans that upset the balance not The Fox. As for cats most Foxes will shy clear of them unless hunger drives them to tackle one. A angry cat can more than handle itself against a Fox. Remember that story about a year back when a child was supposed to have been attacked by a Fox that came into the house, I see they mention it in the Maidstone article. I never believed that story for one minute. I am sure if an attack did happen is was more likely a dog that strayed in. A Fox will not come near humans given half a chance, I mean would you if you were a Fox. Funny we never heard any more about that story. That's one well fed Fox but more of a diet of discarded Kebab & Chicken Suppers than any pets I would have thought. I have always been for old Bushy Tail , a superb creature & a total opportunist.

Tight Lines
PS See that's what annoys me, they photograph the fox in front of a wee boy to make it look "huge" It's like all those anglers that do the self same thing with fish.

[Wildfisher]

My own view is it is your duty  to  protect your pets / stock from wildlife and I don?t mean kill the wildlife. If you let a cat roam free it may be killed  by a fox, then again it may be run down by a car, so is it then OK  to shoot the driver?

We have lost many cats over the years, probably to foxes as there is no traffic here. On the other  hand it could have been to snares in which case a cull  of gamekeepers may be  required.

If you put bread out on the lawn you would not  be surprised if crows came down and ate it. So what?s the beef with stockie bashery operators who fill their dubs with dense shoaling rainbows and then bitch about visists  from fish eating birds and mammals?

I?m not saying there is no need for control, of course there is, especially mass produced rabbits etc that ruin crops. Foxes are pretty good at that. So are un-poisoned raptors.

[dazdidge]

We push wild animals out of their own habitat by taking it for ourselves, we leave bags full of rubbish and food lying about for them to eat, we have chickens etc in the back garden! We then shoot/kill that animal because it gets too close, who is to blame? Same goes for raptors, people breed pheasents, partridge etc giving the raptors an easy feed and they are then poisened for doing what comes naturally to them. All predators will take advantage of easy pickings, it's what they are good at! And what we are good at is blaming them. What happens when we put food down for the birds over winter? Lots of little birds come in to the garden to get a free feast, then the sparrowhawk and harrier turn up to get an easy feast (so does my cat) Whos fault is it?
I couldnt see anything in that article that actually proved the cat was killed by a fox so why was the fox killed? It could have been a dog so why werent all the local dogs rounded up and put down? I would have thought a dog was more likely to leave it, whereas a fox if hungry enough to attack a cat certainly wouldnt leave its hard earned meal lying on a doorstep???
daz

[Highlander]

Couldn't agree more Daz. Old Bushy Tail must think these chicken farms & pheasant pens are their version of Mac Donald's. Build pens that the Fox can't get into for starters, that's got to help. Admin is right we as top of the food chain have a duty of care to our livestock & pets.
Makes my blood boil when some Game Keepers leave poisoned meat meant for Raptors & other wild life eat it & die. Pine Martin. Osprey Harriers. Kites etc etc. Dogs & I dare say some of Admins area cats have succumbed to poison baits. Too many Raptors they say, well I say too many scrawny 1 year old Pheasants. These  couintry estates raise these poor excuse for birds so some well heeled person from the affluent south or Europe can come over here, paying an extortionate amount of money for the privilege of shooting stupid birds that have been reared for no other reason than to be blown to bits by a shotgun & then try to justify it as Sport. Anyway rant over & I will say no more on the subject.

[Wildfisher]

for the privilege of shooting stupid birds that have been reared for no other reason than to be blown to bits by a shotgun & then try to justify it as Sport.

I agree, but I struggle  to see the difference between that and fishing for stupid fish that have been reared for no other reason than to be hooked out by  someone pretending to be a trout fisherman.

[bushy palmer]

I'd be REALLY surprised if the cat was actually killed by the / a fox;

I agree- I've been a cat owner my whole life and reckon they can make a pretty good account of themselves when they feel under threat.
Most likely some auld dear will have thrown it in a wheely bin