This is horrible!! one fox became horribly aggressive and was put down.. now the

[AnnMorin]

Neighbors want to get the police officer in trouble!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I AM SO UPSET!!
There was one fox that was becomming bolder if you recall.. well it pinned me at the door and tried to bite my son.. we called the police and it would not back down, they tried an airhorn and rocks etc it just ketp moving forward. The officer shot it.
That made me sad.. now the worst part.. the neighbors who DO not have the den in their yard are all upset and want the cop fired..it is horrible I feel so bad,, they told me to MOVE! yikes.... a bad evening in jungle land

 

[LucyStorm]

I'm so sorry you are going through this. I love animals too, but no animal has a greater value than a human life.

It seems that the officer put the animal down quickly and in a humane manner. Your neighbors might feel differently if it was threatening them. I feel sorriest for the cop.

I hope things settle for you soon.

 

[jamsmom]

I am so sorry that you are having to go through all of this!

 

[nativetxn]

{{{HUGS}}}. I can't believe they actually asked you to <i>move</i>. That is outrageous.

I'm sorry the fox had to be killed but if the officer tried all other methods to get the fox move away from your door then he/she had no alternative.

Don't feel bad about this. I don't think the police officer will get in trouble since you saw everything that happened, he will be allowed to defend himself and you can tell your side of the story.

I hope this all dies down soon.

 

[Rajah]

If the fox was getting aggressive, there was no hope for him. Chances are he was sick, too. The officer did the right thing, you did the right thing by calling him, and your neighbor needs to understand nature better. As horrible as it was that he needed to be shot, the officer tried other ways and he was threatening you and your son. She'd probably speak differently if he'd been threatening her son/daughter.

 

[imgoingtodisney]

sorry Ann but I think I may be afraid to go out my door

(Is it really nice enough to go out late at night where you live? Im waiting anxiously.)

 

[AnnMorin]

Barb this happened at around 7pm. I was so upset about it I posted later on. i have no sleep and am a wreck about this. the worst part is the neighbors are such hypocrits, the husband is a hunter so I don't know how they feel all the deer and bear he has tried to kill were of less value. I could never be a hunter.. I feel sick to my stomach from all this

 

[imgoingtodisney]

oh man - Im sorry Ann
From your pics it doesnt look like you live out in the boonies. How close is your nearest neighbor? Is he the hunter? How have you gotten along in the past before this?

Are you in a neighborhood? How are the other neighbors reacting?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Your story has turned into something out of a Stephen King novel, eh? I haven't been on the boards for awhile so I don't know the full story.

{{{HUGS}}} and PD to you!!! Sounds like the right thing was done. Your neighbors sound like idiots.

 

[Pam]

Ann,
That fox sounds like it had rabies - it is not natural for an animal to come up that close to houses, especially in the day time.

The police officer had every right to shoot the animal - he was protecting a human life.

 

[Rajah]

Originally posted by Pam
Ann,
That fox sounds like it had rabies - it is not natural for an animal to come up that close to houses, especially in the day time.

That was my thought as well.


Ann -- your neighbors hunt and yet they're calling the police officer bad/wrong for shooting an animal that was threatening you??

 

[Claudia1]

I think you did the right thing and the officer sounds quite human. I hope that all things calm down soon.

Do you have a Humane Society or some other organization that you can call to move the other/remaining foxes? If one was sick, the others might be, too. The safety factor would also bother me.

Be careful!!!!!

 

[MICKEY88]

I agree with the others who mentioned rabies, normal behavior for a fox is to run from humans, if it approached even with the air horn..there was something definitely wrong......


sounds like your neighbor is a clueless hunter.... I would also see if there is any way to have the others moved

 

[AnnMorin]

That is why I think only this one was ill. My husband thinks the neighbors may have been feeding it and that is why it was not afraid. I wish one of them would get bit !

 

[pumba]

I always wonder what would I do if I was sitting in the woods waiting for a deer to come by and see an agressive fox....coyote....fisher......I would do exactly what the officier did.......we have alot of rabies up here in Maine .........last week a young teen beat a wood chuck over the head with a plank of wood.....a wood chuck .....can you believe this......he had rabies...not often do you see this.......all animals out in the wild are that......WILD....do not feed them....do not get close to them .......and if they are like raccoons.....a normally night time animal and it is out in the day time......call the animal control officier.....take care and I hope that they took a sample of that animal so that they can test it and then let your neighbors know .....if it had rabies...they could have more out there too.....

 

[ToyStory Fan]

Ann,

I wonder if your neigbors were put in the same situation if they would be singing their current tune. People need to learn something about a situation before putting their 2 cents in. We once had a coyote walking down our street, I immediately called the police and they said it's more afraid of you than you are of it, unless it's chasing a pet or person there's not alot we can do.

So to that extent I would say yeah if the cop shot him and nothing was going on then he should at the very least be investigated for proper conduct/procedure. BUT, that is NOT the case this animal was becoming aggressive and approaching people with the intention/possiblity of biting them. At that point, I don't even call the cops I'd do it my self.

If the neighbors can't handle that too bad for them.

 

[Pin Wizard]

The PO did the right thing. They tried to get it to back off. If it's threatening a person and can't get it to back off, he did what he had to do.

On the news last night, they warned us against rabid foxes in the area. Walk pets on leashes, don't let them or kids out alone, etc.

 

[AnnMorin]

I just feel so horrible about the whole thing, I had been following the kitts since they were born and certainly did not want any of them harmed. I am sure those people would be singing a different tune if it was them being harrassed. I feel bad for the officer and hope he does not have a lot of greif over this.

 

[AnnMorin]

Originally posted by imgoingtodisney
oh man - Im sorry Ann
From your pics it doesnt look like you live out in the boonies. How close is your nearest neighbor? Is he the hunter? How have you gotten along in the past before this?

Are you in a neighborhood? How are the other neighbors reacting?

We live in the country but in a new development. The street is 15 acres with six lots on it (one lot is still empty to my right) we are on the culdesaq which is VERY large (it is over a tenth of a mile around it one lap) so our houses are pretty spread out. On one side of our yard is the golf course and the empty lot on the other the woodline and house next door and to the back is all woods. We have about two acres of woods. Next door is about 250 feet from us. He is the hunter. Next to him is another prize (his drinking buddy) who is the instigator in all this. Both of those neighbors were the ones yelling and calling us murders and that we should move. There has been a lot of history with these folks as they are always uppetty about something and DH refuses to join in with them on their petitions etc. (because of his position he tries to stay out of political issues and their approach is not his cup of tea) The latest is they have said it should have been a NEIGHBORHOOD decision if the fox should be put down or not. I told them the other day that I was becomming concerned and no one said a word..... This has been such a bad day, I am delerious with lack of sleep, stressed out for the P.O. and feel like a prisoner in my home as I don't want to see any of them. I said to DH we should just move and he said over his dead body would he move. boy this all stinks

 

[preshi]

I didnt read the other posts just the original... and am probably repeating... but the fox could have had rabies... that is not a normal behavior for the animal. Certain species Fox's, skunks and bats are the #1 vecotrs of rabies in this area and we HAVE to put them down if we get them. In one case 26 people had to get the rabies vaccine after they all touched a bat that later turned out to have rabies.


Anyways neighbors have no right to be mad, they do not OWN the animal... the officer did the right thing... as much as I love animals safety for you is alwasys #1... esp if the critter was aggressive!


{{hugs}}