Foxes Roaming Around the Suburbs

shrapnel222

lightening wrote: »

Just seems far fetched, that's all. Thanks for the link. That's a strange article! Seems like the couples story is doubtful or something! It almost makes out that they are lying! Weird.

From the expert...

"I would not consider this an attack at all. That indicates something vicious and wild and ferocious."

i was living in the UK at the time, that's why i remembered the story, and i remember thinking the same as you. Foxes at the time were getting a lot of bad press and someone got done for shooting one in his garden, although the fox, i think had attacked his cat or something. the urban fox was everywhere, in the bins, in sheds etc but nothing was being done about it. In this case the fox project did everything they could to discredit the story and saying it was a deranged fox, etc. but the fact remained that urban foxes were getting bolder and bolder and were everywhere.

lightening

shrapnel222 wrote: »

In this case the fox project did everything they could to discredit the story and saying it was a deranged fox, etc. but the fact remained that urban foxes were getting bolder and bolder and were everywhere.

Yeah, looks like the BBC is on fox projects side too!

bennyblanco

I used to live near rathmines and would often see them between Stephens green and Iveagh Gardens.The OPs call for extermination is pretty ridiculous.:rolleyes:
I'm with lightening on this one,they've got to live somewhere too yknow?!
OT but I saw a family of falcons/kestrels(I'm not too up on birds) circling over Foxrock there recently,beautiful creatures

Gavin "shels"

GrahamThomas wrote: »

Lightening, they are great photos.

As for foxes being spotted in the city centre, I think I heard before that the Grand Canal acts as kind of a wildlife corridor for animals, and most of the locations named in this thread where foxes were spotted are pretty close to the canal, so perhaps thats how they ended up in town? Just a thought!

Always see bats aswell along Parnell Road (runs along side the Grand Canal), along with many rats.:D

humberklog

Loads of wildlife in city. I've lived in Islandbridge recently and there are seals, salmon,heron, halks and kingfishers etc.


Anyway back to OP...It's nuts to think of a fox killing your dog and frankly i ain't having it that a fox munched on a cat. Kill the foxes and what have you got?....Rats by the billions.

tricky D

humberklog wrote: »

Loads of wildlife in city. I've lived in Islandbridge recently and there are seals, salmon,heron, halks and kingfishers etc.


Anyway back to OP...It's nuts to think of a fox killing your dog and frankly i ain't having it that a fox munched on a cat. Kill the foxes and what have you got?....Rats by the billions.

Foxes and bats are alive and well in Merrion Sq.

I'm also viewing the OP's take on this with a very very large dose of salt and echo what lightening said - it is humans who are the real pests.

Gaspode

tricky D wrote: »

Foxes and bats are alive and well in Merrion Sq.

I'm also viewing the OP's take on this with a very very large dose of salt and echo what lightening said - it is humans who are the real pests.

One time my mates neighbours cousin saw a wild human in Clondalkin try to climb into a pram and try to pick up a baby by the head. Only the family rotweiller came out and took it off him, the baby was a gonner. :rolleyes:

I find it hard to believe a fox would go into a house to nab a child, but I suppose its possible regardless of how improbable. Similarly a fox going for dogs as the op suggested seems far fetched. While agains its possible, its so improbable it's certainly not worth eradicating the foxes 'just in case'.
I would suggest that the OP like all dog owners should invest in a proper run for their dog. That would prevent that 'one in a million' fox getting at the dog.


Mind you, any dog small enough to be taken by a fox deserves it - get a real dog! *


















* you know I dont mean that, so get away from the 'report post' button!!

Zillah

GrahamThomas wrote: »

As for foxes being spotted in the city centre, I think I heard before that the Grand Canal acts as kind of a wildlife corridor for animals, and most of the locations named in this thread where foxes were spotted are pretty close to the canal, so perhaps thats how they ended up in town? Just a thought!

Aha! That sounds plausible.

I live out near Foxrock, and it certainly lives up to it's name

Lot's of rocks then?

Victor wrote: »

He said there was foxes in the Gardens that regularly commute down to St. Stephens Green to have a feed of duckling.

Ok that's less cute

ninebeanrows

I've seen foxes walking home from some nights out here in Portmarnock. Scary creatures in mine eye!

And it would seem one ravaged on a nice pigeon the other day as there is a nice feathery mess and chase trail of pigeon hairs and a corpse in the the green nearby:pac:

arybvtcw0eolkf

deswalsh wrote: »

I would suggest that the OP like all dog owners should invest in a proper run for their dog.

My dogs sleep in my bedroom... Now there's a place where one of two foxy things have crawled at night

CCCP^

I saw a Fox around St. Stephen's Green, but that was ages ago. About 3 years infact, pretty sure it's been run over since.

Galvasean

Weathercheck wrote: »

I've seen foxes walking home from some nights out here in Portmarnock. Scary creatures in mine eye!

And it would seem one ravaged on a nice pigeon the other day as there is a nice feathery mess and chase trail of pigeon hairs and a corpse in the the green nearby:pac:

It's much more likely that a cat caught the pigeon TBH.

That http://http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2078419.stm from the UK seems a bit weird. Why were they sleeping with the door open with a small unatended baby in the house? Sounds kinda fishy to me.
If a fox could get in then surely too a burglar/kidknapper could too.

"A dingo fox ate my baby!"

Chucky the tree

BrightEyes wrote: »

Foxes are terrified of people. I will admit though that the 2 stories I heard involved cats.
1-My friend was walking through his estate and saw a fox chase and kill a cat.
2-A neighbour's cat was found in the garden half eaten.

I suppose it could be different for dogs that foxes wouldn't touch them but my dog is a King Charles, not exactly rough dogs

I've seen a dog chase and kill a cat.



Can I exterminate your dog because I am worried about letting my cat outside now?

Jay D

second time replying but this most certainly has got to be a complete airhead's opinion on foxes.

Táck

yeah i seen a rat on abbey street before,

The tax man

Plenty of foxes living in my estate and have been for over 20 years. Large wooded area at the entrance,so ideal from them.
Never had any problems nor have I heard any bad stories from anyone in the estate about our four legged neighbours.Even the local cats hang around the same area and no cases of dead cats yet.Only thing that annoyed me(and scared the shíte outta me) was this lovely noise going past my window in the middle of the night.
Always nice to have a bit of wildlife around seeing that it's dying out around here.

DennisSabre

From http://www.enfo.ie/leaflets/foxes.htm:

In Dublin fox densities average around 1.04 fox families per km2.

Also check out:

http://www.banbloodsports.com/ln-0408b.htm

http://www.rte.ie/radio/mooneygoeswild/factsheets/fox/index.html

http://homepage.eircom.net/~foxwatchireland/nl23.htm

Victor

Weathercheck wrote: »

And it would seem one ravaged on a nice pigeon the other day as there is a nice feathery mess and chase trail of pigeon hairs and a corpse in the the green nearby:pac:

Pigeon hair?

humberklog wrote: »

Loads of wildlife in city. I've lived in Islandbridge recently and there are seals, salmon,heron, halks and kingfishers etc.

Seals or otters?

Kaldorn

shrapnel222 wrote: »

although lovely creatures, they can be dangerous to small children and pets. i remember a story in the UK, when one summer, this family had left their patio door open, their baby was playing in the living room. when the guy came in to check on the baby, a fox was in the living room with the baby's arm in its jaw.

on a side note, i was up north for a weekend a few weeks ago. we were staying in a nice hotel near newcastle, it was a nice day and we were chilling in the garden, my 10 month old was crawling around on the grass, when from nowhere a fox appeared and did a b line for my boy. i tell you my heart was in my mouth, as i ran for him before the fox got there, but suddenly out of nowhere the owners dog came running into the garden and chased the fox away. all that to say, as lovely as they may be, anything smaller than them is a potential meal for them.

we've also got one who comes through our garden from time to time.

I dont belieive any of this nonsense and I know quite a bit about wildlife

Kaldorn

humberklog wrote: »

Loads of wildlife in city. I've lived in Islandbridge recently and there are seals, salmon,heron, halks and kingfishers etc.


Anyway back to OP...It's nuts to think of a fox killing your dog and frankly i ain't having it that a fox munched on a cat. Kill the foxes and what have you got?....Rats by the billions.

Seals in Island Bridge,thats quite an acheivment for a salt water dwelling mammal hmmmmmm

shrapnel222

Kaldorn wrote: »

I dont belieive any of this nonsense and I know quite a bit about wildlife

i put the link to that UK story up, so it's not made up (or maybe it is but noone will ever know). As for my story, i was there, so was the fox. whether he would have bitten my son or not,no one knows, but i wasn't going to find out. Wild animals are unpredictable in many situations. full stop. we'd spoken to the owners niece who was there also at the time, she was about 10. she'd been bitten by this fox once, because he seems so tame and unafraid and she got too close and he bit her.

BTW, your "i know quite a bit about wildlife" line actually made me laugh!!!:D

lightening

Kaldorn wrote: »

Seals in Island Bridge,thats quite an acheivment for a salt water dwelling mammal hmmmmmm

Not really considering its tidal up to the weir in Island bridge. That means its saltwater on a high tide.


hmmmmmmmmm

lightening

shrapnel222 wrote: »

As for my story, i was there, so was the fox

I have no doubt this happened. I would say it was probably a hand reared fox or simply a tame one. Mad story, I'd say you got a fright.


And I know quiet a bit about wildlife. And rivers.

Degsy

There was a thing on telly a while bsack about when animals attack or some such.This bloke in england found a badger in his garage and went to pet it like a dog,the thing ripped the muscle and nerves off his arm and he was lucky not to lose it.
Wild animals are not pets,kids.

PurpleFistMixer

Badgers are also not foxes, interestingly enough.

See foxes frequently enough around Blackrock, walking down the road, minding their own business, wandering around my garden, pissing my dog off. The only pest-like thing they do is cause said dog to bark like a maniac the second she suspects there's a fox about, but that's her own bad behaviour and nothing on the fox. They're small enough things foxes so unless your dog is completely docile and/or the size of a kitten I wouldn't worry too much.

irishguy

I saw a fox about a year ago in ringsend (Near the village) Very surprised to see them so close into town

Earth Worm Jim

There are plenty of foxes in the city centre, mainly based around the railway tracks and canal banks, I regular see them down my way, I think a family of foxes are even living in the grounds of a new appartment development accross from my house, sure they may aswell as the appartments are lying idle since they were built in 06...........

I think its a good thing, its nice to see some wild life and nature in whats becoming a concrete jungle......... they are as entittled to live here as much if not more than a pet pooch...... they used to be killed due to the fact they were carriers of rabies but I think that was erradicated a good while back....

Punchbowl

Degsy wrote: »

There was a thing on telly a while bsack about when animals attack or some such.This bloke in england found a badger in his garage and went to pet it like a dog,the thing ripped the muscle and nerves off his arm and he was lucky not to lose it.
Wild animals are not pets,kids.

Ha ha, God bless the English..

petting the badger...

Wishbone Ash

Speaking of badgers, did anyone ever lift one? They are bloody heavy.

There was a dead one at work last week and everyone was driving around it like it was a mini roundabout. I went out to throw it aside. I was expecting it to weigh about the same as a similar sized dog. It was more like a bag of cement!

shoutman

Living in clontarf and regularly see foxes, my next door neighbour claims that my cat plays with a fox in her backgarden. They take goes at chasing each other supposedly...... :rolleyes: