SSPCA seeks answers after fox is mauled in Capital park

A FOX that was discovered mauled to death in an Edinburgh park is thought to be the latest victim in a series of suspected coursing attacks.

A member of the public spotted the male fox lying dead on open ground in Inch Park on Monday morning.

The fox, which had several bite wounds to its back legs, was still warm and thought to have only been dead for a matter of hours.

Animal welfare workers say it is the latest in a number of suspected coursing incidents to take place across Edinburgh and the Lothians, including the discovery of four dead foxes in Craigmillar Castle Park in recent years.

A post-mortem examination revealed that the fox died of crush injuries to the abdomen, chest and throat.

Scottish SPCA chief superintendent Mike Flynn believes the animal, thought to be just under a year old, may have been the victim of a coursing attack.

He said: "Due to the open location that the fox was found in and the nature of its injuries, we believe that it is most likely to have been attacked by a dog.

"This park is close to Cameron Toll shopping centre and an area regularly frequented by dog walkers. The vast majority of dogs walked here are family pets, not dogs bred for coursing, so this is quite a strange incident.

"Technically it could have been an over-exuberant dog, but nine times out of ten a healthy fox would get away from a dog. The extent of the injuries would indicate that it's not just been your average Labrador or Jack Russell running through the park that's grabbed this poor wee thing.

"Either a dog and a person have been involved, or a person with a number of dogs."

The grim discovery of the fox, which was otherwise in good bodily condition, was made at around 8.30am.

Chief superintendent Flynn added: "Something has had one hell of a real go at it and it's definitely not been another fox.

"The dogs that have got the power to crush a fox's chest cavity, such as a massive mastiff dog, are not the kind that could catch it in the first place because they're too big and haven't got the dexterity.

"It would be more likely that a person stamped on the fox – it might have been somebody thinking that the fox was injured and that they should put it out of its misery."

The animal welfare charity said coursing was on the rise across the UK, but added that it usually takes place in rural areas where there is less chance of the perpetrators being caught.

Following the fourth fox attack in the space of a year in April 2008, police said the animals may have been deliberately targeted by dog owners, with animal welfare officers raising concerns that the four foxes may have been killed by one or more dogs. Wildlife and environmental protection officer PC Ruaraidh Hamilton said: "The pursuit of hare/fox coursing is legislated under the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002, which made activities such as hare, deer and fox coursing illegal."

The Scottish SPCA is appealing for anyone with information about the fox to come forward.

Chief superintendent Flynn said: "Deliberately encouraging a dog to attack wildlife is an offence, and it's something we take very seriously. Next time it could be somebody's pet dog or a child that gets attacked."

Anyone with information should contact the Scottish SPCA on 03000 999 999.