Pet Fox

Jeff2

It it legal to have a pet fox in Dublin city and let it out sometimes to run wild.

Dtp1979

Jeff2 wrote: »

It it legal to have a pet fox in Dublin city and let it out sometimes to run wild.

How the hell did you get a pet fox? I've always wanted one.
Can't imagine it's illegal to do the above though

bilbot79

Jeff2 wrote: »

It it legal to have a pet fox in Dublin city and let it out sometimes to run wild.

Foxes are as wild as wolves and after 1 year old will turn vicious.

A guy in Russia did a breeding program over decades and domesticated his lot so you have foxes in an eternal state of puppy hood like normal pets. However they cost 8 grand or something

Jeff2

Dtp1979 wrote: »

How the hell did you get a pet fox? I've always wanted one.
Can't imagine it's illegal to do the above though

I didn't but a I noticed tonight that someone a few houses down has one and she is someone who is not seen often.
Nothing against her but it strange it Dublin 7.
It ran over the garage roof into back of house when my dog chased it and the women put to the window to show we were gone and let it out again.
Then my dog was of again after it.
Maybe I should train my did not to chase it if I it was posable.

I really dout I would even get to talk to her

mylittlepony

Could it be a small dog that look like a fox im thinking a Pom?

Dtp1979

bilbot79 wrote: »

Foxes are as wild as wolves and after 1 year old will turn vicious.

A guy in Russia did a breeding program over decades and domesticated his lot so you have foxes in an eternal state of puppy hood like normal pets. However they cost 8 grand or something

I've Seen pet wolves well over a year old. They're actually a very timid animal. I cant imagine foxes being any different if domesticated early in their lives

bilbot79

Jeff2 wrote: »

I didn't but a I noticed tonight that someone a few houses down has one and she is someone who is not seen often.
Nothing against her but it strange it Dublin 7.
It ran over the garage roof into back of house when my dog chased it and the women put to the window to show we were gone and let it out again.
Then my dog was of again after it.
Maybe I should train my did not to chase it if I it was posable.

I really dout I would even get to talk to her

Where in D7?

A_Sober_Paddy

mylittlepony wrote: »

Could it be a small dog that look like a fox im thinking a Pom?

Juniper the fox on Instagram seems to be a well adjusted pet fox

Jeff2

bilbot79 wrote: »

Where in D7?

West cabra.

Jeff2

I know foxes,it went over the garage roof into the back of the house.
Also my dog knows foxes by smell.
She won't go after a cat.

Jeff2

mylittlepony wrote: »

Could it be a small dog that look like a fox im thinking a Pom?

The fox was about 2.5!foot high.
4 times my dogs size.

ganmo

(d) to retain possession of a protected wild animal, that for reasons of disability or for other reasons deemed reasonable by the Minister, would, if released, be unlikely to survive unaided in the wild.”,

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2000/act/38/enacted/en/print#sec31

Ms Doubtfire1

A fox is a wild animal and should not be kept as a pet. Secondly, the smell is horrific. I used to know someone who kept a 3 legged fox and the stink in that room made your eyes water. Fox very unhappy and very agitated too. Wild animals belong in the wild.:mad: But in regards to the question: I don't think it's legal other what's stated by prior poster.

Bunnyslippers

There was a rescue place near where I used to live and they had a fox that someone had kept as a pet but it stank the house out so they got rid of it to the rescue! It was very friendly but very timid, and it was sad to see it stuck in a cage for the rest of its life - but boy the smell, as said above, made your eyes water and he was outside, even the wild ones round where I live you can certainly tell when they've been around!!

They make very poor pets, most are very timid so would spend a lot of time hiding, plus the fact they are mainly nocturnal and it's not really a pet you'd want, not something you could train either! And having one in a city that isn't afraid of people and used to going in a house is just asking for trouble!
There are plenty of dog breeds out there with foxy looks so no need to try and keep the real thing!

tk123

Jeff2 wrote: »

The fox was about 2.5!foot high.
4 times my dogs size.

I'm down the road from you near the Botanics and I've seen a few big ones like that.. one of them I thought was a dog at first because I'd never seen one that big!! I even said 'what dog is that?!' and looked around for their owner! : A couple of people I meet in the park with the dogs have had them sitting in the garden and they weren't afraid when they approached - only that they had a dog the fox ran away... The few I've seen in the park are the same - only that one of my dogs ran at it it wasn't bothered with me in the slightest! Another time one of my dogs ran towards one and and it slinked off into the bushes cool as anything! They're way too tame.. that said I would't be keeping one as a pet!

riffmongous

I used to see this guy a few times around Thomastown in Kilkenny, fox up sitting on his shoulder

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/nature-meets-nurture-as-patsy-s-foxes-become-pets-1.1714838

jopax

riffmongous wrote: »

I used to see this guy a few times around Thomastown in Kilkenny, fox up sitting on his shoulder

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/nature-meets-nurture-as-patsy-s-foxes-become-pets-1.1714838

Wow that's a blast from the past, I remember passing through there years ago & seeing it. I wonder if they are both still around.

iceadtea

Foxes can be kept as pets but they do smell rather bad and they're hard work, usually better to get them as kits rather than adults. That's not to say they can't be trained but it's not going to be anywhere near the same as training a dog, I have some great friends in America with pet foxes and they'll all agree as fun as they can be, they are tricksy little buggers. They usually do not make good pets because of this and the level of commitment it takes to keep them.
If your wanting a pet fox letting it out to run wild sometimes is probably not going to work well for the fox.

It's not really recommended to keep exotics as pets, they are hard work despite the romantic idea that a wolf/fox/flamingo is going to be an awesome companion.

Day Lewin

Although foxes are not very suited to being "pets" eg, kept domestically, they can become very tame and you can easily make friends with a wild one just by putting food out. If you do this the same time each evening they will soon appear.

However, they will mark a feeding spot with droppings - very visible and gets quite smelly.
And they will dig holes to hide food in or to find worms. And if they are happy, they will bring toys - dead birds, feathers, bits of litter, bones - and leave those lying round too.

Actually, they are friendly, intelligent and social animals: and the cubs are adorable like puppies and kittens: but as said before, being "pets" is not really suitable for them.

Jeff2

Thanks for the info people.
It's interesting but I don't think this one should be a pet the way it jumped on a wall and over the garage roof and the size it would be fine wild.