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| Boris Johnson calls for urban fox 'menace' to be tackled | Boris Johnson calls for urban fox 'menace' to be tackled |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Boris Johnson has urged councils to tackle the "menace" of urban foxes after one of the animals bit the finger off a one-month-old baby boy. | Boris Johnson has urged councils to tackle the "menace" of urban foxes after one of the animals bit the finger off a one-month-old baby boy. |
| The fox is thought to have attacked the baby on Wednesday afternoon, after entering his bedroom in Bromley, south-east London and dragging him from his cot. | The fox is thought to have attacked the baby on Wednesday afternoon, after entering his bedroom in Bromley, south-east London and dragging him from his cot. |
| Surgeons managed to reattach the baby's finger and the Metropolitan police are investigating the incident. | Surgeons managed to reattach the baby's finger and the Metropolitan police are investigating the incident. |
| The London mayor said the attack, described by the RSPCA as highly unusual, demonstrated the need for action. | The London mayor said the attack, described by the RSPCA as highly unusual, demonstrated the need for action. |
| "They may appear cuddly and romantic, but foxes are also a pest and a menace, particularly in our cities," Johnson told BBC News. | "They may appear cuddly and romantic, but foxes are also a pest and a menace, particularly in our cities," Johnson told BBC News. |
| "This must serve as a wakeup call to London's borough leaders, who are responsible for pest control. | "This must serve as a wakeup call to London's borough leaders, who are responsible for pest control. |
| "They must come together, study the data, try to understand why this is becoming such a problem and act quickly to sort it out." | "They must come together, study the data, try to understand why this is becoming such a problem and act quickly to sort it out." |
| Graham Jukes, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, said: "The fox issue is one that has been creeping up on us for a number of years now and it does need a strategic response." | Graham Jukes, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, said: "The fox issue is one that has been creeping up on us for a number of years now and it does need a strategic response." |
| But he said local authorities, which are already reducing their pest control provision as part of wider budget cuts, were unlikely to be able to come up with a unified solution. | But he said local authorities, which are already reducing their pest control provision as part of wider budget cuts, were unlikely to be able to come up with a unified solution. |
| "I don't think the clarion call of the mayor or anybody else will enable the resources to be made available to create a difference to the way this type of pest is coming into London and causing problems," he said. | "I don't think the clarion call of the mayor or anybody else will enable the resources to be made available to create a difference to the way this type of pest is coming into London and causing problems," he said. |
| Richard Moseley, technical manager at the British Pest Control Association, dismissed talk of a cull of foxes, saying it would take years and prove highly controversial. | Richard Moseley, technical manager at the British Pest Control Association, dismissed talk of a cull of foxes, saying it would take years and prove highly controversial. |
| "Fifty percent of people would be happy to see them controlled and fifty percent wouldn't want to see any control at all and would carry on encouraging them on to their properties and closer and closer to their homes, which is perhaps where the issue starts to arise," he said. | "Fifty percent of people would be happy to see them controlled and fifty percent wouldn't want to see any control at all and would carry on encouraging them on to their properties and closer and closer to their homes, which is perhaps where the issue starts to arise," he said. |
| An RSPCA spokeswoman said a fox would attack a human only through fear. | An RSPCA spokeswoman said a fox would attack a human only through fear. |
| "It's extremely unusual for foxes to attack young children or anyone," she said. "It's not typical fox behaviour at all. Foxes will come closer to a house if there are food sources. Then they can become quite bold, but they usually do back off and run away when there's people around." | "It's extremely unusual for foxes to attack young children or anyone," she said. "It's not typical fox behaviour at all. Foxes will come closer to a house if there are food sources. Then they can become quite bold, but they usually do back off and run away when there's people around." |
| Tanya Gold, page 24 |