Not So Foxy ....

[gigleypants]

Yesterday we decided to dismantle the garden shed and move it ... not a bother you would think until we came to moving the base and under it found 3 little fox cubs ... not knowing really what to do and having a garden full of shed insides all over I called the RSPCA ... good idea you would think, they told me to wait for a few hours to see if the mum would return, if not an RSPCA officer would call and take the cubs ... so we waited and nothing no mum, the officer called and said to wait till Monday to see if mum came back and re-housed them (guess she need time to go to the social) other wise they would come and remove the cuties ... perfect thought I ... the officer then continued to tell me the the cubs would be "put to sleep" as it is illegal to release Foxes in to the wild ... until Monday we was told to cover them with anything but not to make them too cosy ... there are no Fox sanctuary around here and I should know as google has been in overdrive ... the only one I can find is in Northants ... I have tried to call but no answer and the answerphone is full ... because the Fox is classed as vermin they will just kill 3 cubs and not give them a chance ... they have caused no damage, the veg, flowers and bins are untouched ... I know if Mother Fox hasn't been for them by Monday I should call ... but is there nothing else I can do ... I cant send them to be killed .... please help I live in Lincolnshire and will do anything to give them a fighting chance ...

[Irie Jan]

Ahh that is so sad! I'm so sorry I cant be of help to you! All the same I feel for you, not a nice situation to be in! HUGZZZ

I love foxes and beleive they have as much rite to a good life as any living thing! What is it with some people that they can just decide that a living thing has no right to help it survive. How would these people feel if someone came along and said your dog or cat is vermin it should be put to death??? oooh this sort of thing makes me feel so angry!!!!!! One day we will have no wild life left if we carry on like this then we will have no life worth living!! ooooh pleeees dont get me started grrrr

[Helgalush]

Hello, so sorry, I have no idea what advice to offer you. I am glad you are keen to help the cubs though. I am not surprised by what the RSPCA officer said - I know from experience and other forums that the RSPCA will Put To Sleep healthy animals if a) they have no room for them b) care and treatment will be expensive c) they are not likely to be able to home them (or in this case, unable to release them to the wild). Most RSPCAs will deny this but they do do it.
I am surprised though as I am sure I have seen tv animal programmes where fox cubs have been found and the RSPCA have taken them in...but then I guess dont believe what you see on TV!!!

I dont know what fox cubs would need to eat or drink - you could try googling it? (Please no rabbits or guinea pigs!). I guess the only other suggestion I have is to leave them to it as much as you can and leave well alone so that if mum is around she is not too scared to return. Also to encourage them to fend for themselves to some degree. Are they very young do you think?

Good luck - I hope they survive and the mum comes for them.

Helen

[Angie76]

Hello

I guess the one you had tried was Lincolnshire Pet & Wildlife Centre because that says it has closed down due to lack of funds/volunteers now.

I do not know if any of these will be able to help but if they can't maybe they can send you in the right direction:-


Dorset Wildlife Rescue
Fox Project
www.foxylodge.yolasite.com

Good luck, keep us updated.

[Jax]

Sounds awful, I personally would be inclined to not call the rspca. Keep trying wildlife sanctuarys but if the mummy doesnt come back I would probably leave a plate of food somewhere close to them but leave them alone as much as possible. The mum could be coming back in the night to check on them.

[Fenris]

You need to speak to the national fox welfare society (which I assume is the one you have been trying to contact?). They are busy so keep trying their phone number and e-mail contacts. natfox@ntlworld.com

Odd the RSPCA claiming that they will have to be killed because they have only just had massive publicity about having taken in some fox cubs they thought were a litter of staffies - might be worth going for publicity on that and speaking to the papers that published the story?

As it appeared on Petstreet:

PetStreet - Latest pet and animal news - Puppies turn out to be fox cubs in North London

RSPCA staff were surprised to discover that five abandoned puppies in their care were in fact a quintet of fox cubs.

When five puppies were handed into the RSPCA Harmsworth Hospital in Holloway, North London, staff members originally thought they were Staffy pups. The litter had been dumped in a plastic carrier bag in a wheelie bin near a garden in Holloway, London. Their cries alerted a passer-by who took them to the RSPCA hospital.

As the night drew on, the pups proved to be a bit ´wilder´ than the traditional house pet and the RSPCA realised they actually had fox cubs in their hands.

The cubs were around seven days old when they were found last month, which led to concerns over their mother´s whereabouts. It was also a complete mystery as to how they came to be dumped in a carrier bag.

The cubs were transferred to a foster carer for the Fox Project Charity the next day. This is a charity based in the South East dedicated to caring for sick and abandoned foxes, and then returning them to the wild on farms where the farmers wont persecute them.

Trevor Williams, director of the Fox Project, said: "They are doing great now".

The little foxes have been called ´the Hollies´ after the 1960s rock group because they were found in Holloway. The four boys and one girl were named - Buddy, Bobby, Tony, Elliot and Lulu.

Isn´t it strange that some species like foxes, street pigeons, even rodents, have people dedicated to their health and welfare, whilst elsewhere a huge effort is made to eradicate them?

[Helgalush]

Isn´t it strange that some species like foxes, street pigeons, even rodents, have people dedicated to their health and welfare, whilst elsewhere a huge effort is made to eradicate them?

Yes I was thinking this only earlier.

[gigleypants]

As you can tell cant sleep lol .. was thinking about the cubs so thought it would see if anyone on here would know anything different ... I cant believe the RSPCA, the lady that called was an officer who said she checked with her supervisors twice and she could take the cubs but they would have to be put down as they are unable to release them back into the wild after being hand reared as they are classed as vermin as it is against the law ... now I am getting really cross ... thank you for pointing this out to me and I will follow this up ... will keep all posted xxx

[gigleypants]

Ok so have sent e-mails to the NFWS and the Fox Project ... I know its 3 in the morning but I had to do something ... but for now we have done what was suggested to see if the Mother has returned tonight by leaving an egg out near the cubs ... hopefully in the morning this will be gone and so will the cubs ...

[gigleypants]

Just had a peek out of the window and the egg is still there not been out yet to see if the cubs are but its not looking good ...

[gigleypants]

Ok some good news at last everyone, Trevor Williams from the Fox Project has e-mailed me back and given me the following information:

1) Foxes are NOT classed as vermin.
2) The RSPCA do NOT have any right to put them to sleep if healthy.
3) RSPCA are allowed to release them back into the wild, as is anyone.
4) The person who I talked to from the RSPCA should be reported. ( O YES I WILL)

The RSPCA have lots of funds from all over the place and are reluctant to use as much as they should caring for wildlife ... but on the other hand do a lot for abandoned or hurt domesticated animals, so like all have good points and bad. But for one of there officers to tell me this was wrong and they should be reported.

So to cut a long conversation short, Trevor was fantastic gave me all the information and advice I need to help raise the Cubs and also telephone numbers for advice anytime.

So for the time being i'm am now FOXY MAMMA lol and have adopted 3 bundles of trouble thank you all for your help and if any are in the same position as me at anytime please feel free to message me and I will help out as much as I can.

I will keep updating as time goes by to let anyone interested know how we are doing ... once again thank you all xxxx

[Jeanied]

Oh, drat - you would have thought the mum would be frantic to get back to them, wouldn't you? Do keep us posted...
Oh - your latest post popped in before I posted this.
Wow - how amazing - the vine's first batch of fox cubs!!!!
ETA - can't wait for the photos!!

[broadway]

Best of luck gigleypants

[ginger ninger]

Well done gigleypants *Mummy Fox* ,
It's thanks to caring people like your self that small defenceless creature's have a chance in life, I take my cap off to you, I don't think your under any illusions it's not going to be a walk in the park, but by the sound's of it you have a great support system in place.
With regard to the RSPCA person, I'd report him/her to the relevant people because they don't deserve to wear the RSPCA badge.

GOOD LUCK with the Foxy Baby's...and if you could without causing upset to them...I'm sure I speak for most, we'd like some photos of the little ones...please.

[Pumpkin Becki]

Wow, very best of luck gigleypants.