THIS FOX WAS spotted this morning in Dublin 8, trapped on a basement window ledge after making its way down off the street.
Gary Grant was on his way to work at Imbibe Coffee when he spotted the animal near his home near the old Meath Hospital, and assumed it had come from the Iveagh Gardens area.
He told DailyEdge.ie that the fox was definitely trapped and that the basement in question is odd in that it’s deep with no door in or out to the main house.
He had contacted the DSPCA but a spokesperson for the society told DailyEdge.ie that the simplest way to help a fox trapped in a situation like this is to give it a way to get out, and then leave it to it.
We would suggest lowering a ladder or something and leaving it for the fox to get out on their own. Throw some food down and then the fox may well wait until nightfall until it feels it is safe to come out.
The spokeperson said that they receive a large number of calls about urban foxes and that while they would go out and attend a call related to a trapped fox, they would be reluctant to try to trap it.
It would cause too much stress on the animal and we wouldn’t be sure about where to release it. If a ladder or way of escape is provided they will normally climb out on their own.
The DPSCA advises that foxes will not attack or hurt humans unless they are cornered. Many calls they receive are about foxes ‘moving in’ to back gardens or under sheds.
As foxes dislike human activity they society advises that the best way to deter or get rid of them is to be active in the area, either by moving around the shed, leaving a radio on, etc.
Another effective deterrent is… human urine, preferable male.
As for the trapped Dublin 8 fox, Gary Grant is on his way home to find a ladder, or the next best thing.
