A dying fox, a walker threatened: will the ‘trapper’ soon be identified?
After having received a witness statement from a shocked walker, and faced with the initial lack of reaction from the authorities, we have intervened to bring the unacceptable behaviour of a fox trapper, who has openly threatened this whistle-blower and subjected a fox to particularly cruel acts before killing it, to their attention. While these cousins of dogs are victims of an unbearable persecution, we will remain fully committed so that the investigation will allow the suspect to be identified and brought to justice.
One Voice’s action, crucial to launch the investigation
At the beginning of December, during a walk during which she simply wanted to benefit from nature, a woman found herself face to face with a panicked, dying fox with its paw in a foot snare trap, undoubtedly for several hours. Looking to come to its aid, she was violently challenged by the trapper who did not hesitate to insult her before threatening her, gun in hand. Additional proof, if there is any need for it, of hunters’ feeling of total impunity. The walker had to resign herself and step aside. The man then fired a first bullet at the fox, without killing it… Was this to prolong its suffering and benefit for the longest time possible from his hobby? The poor animal had to endure a few long seconds before it was finally put out of its misery.
While the initial report to local police seemed to go unheeded, we intervened to report these particularly serious facts and to demand a quick response against these acts of cruelty.
This decisive action allowed some progress: at the start of January, supported by our local point of contact, the walker was interviewed at the police station. An investigation was launched on three counts: illegal trapping, threats, and acts of cruelty towards an animal. She will, hopefully, be able to identify the trapper so that he can answer for his actions.
One Voice fully committed for foxes
For many years, we have reported on the fate reserved for foxes in France. Classified nationally as a ‘species likely to cause damage’, they are perpetually massacred. They are the subject of the most cruel hunts: horse and hound hunting, night hunts, underground hunting with hounds. Hunters do not hesitate to attack foxes, held on the ground before being violently killed, sometimes with metal clamps on their heads.
Red foxes are sensitive and intelligent beings who, like all animals, deserve to be protected. Nothing can justify the persecution and massacring that they are victims of. Faced with repeated attacks by hunters to kill more and more animals by resorting to the most unbearable methods, we are repeating our appeal for a radical reform of hunting, and will continue to intervene whenever necessary to give foxes a voice. Together, let’s demand that foxes be removed from the list of species likely to cause damage (formerly ‘pests’).
Translated from the French by Joely Justice