A wildlife charity is offering a £2,000 reward after the “hearbreaking” and “disturbing” discovery of a fox who had been shot with “multiple pellets” from an air rifle, leaving her paralysed in fear and agony.
Sad ending: wildlife workers named the stricken fox Ripley. She was found in distress with multiple pellet wounds
The vixen was found suffering in a garden in New Addington. Because of the extent of her injuries, vets working for the charity, The Fox Project, were left with no alternative but to euthanise the otherwise healthy animal.
Wildlife rescuers from The Fox Project said the animal was reported as being in distress.
X-ray examination confirmed at least four pellet wounds:, with one pellet close to her stomach, a second pellet in her leg, a third pellet had narrowly missing her lung, while a fourth pellet was lodged in her spine, causing irreparable paralysis.
The Fox Project said, “The vixen had been left alive to endure fear and agony, and was only able to painfully drag herself to cover.
“No animal should be treated this way,” said Nicki Townsend from The Fox Project. “Harming animals is unacceptable. The fox’s death has prompted the charity to renew calls for tougher enforcement against cruelty to animals.
The charity said it is offering a £2,000 reward for information that leads to a conviction.
The Fox Project also said that if residents witness a similar crime, they should contact the police immediately.
The incident has been reported and is being handled through standard protocol via the National Wildlife Crime Unit.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact The Fox Project by emailing nicki.townsend@foxproject.org.uk.
For more information, visit: https://foxproject.org.uk
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