‘Disturbing’: Foxes shot dead with crossbows in London

Reward of £2,000 offered as Scotland Yard investigates killings

Three foxes in London have been shot with a crossbow (Pixabay)

Three foxes have been shot with a crossbow in London, in what has been described as a “disturbing” and “truly shocking” series of attacks.

Two of the animals did not survive.

In the most recent incident, police were called after a member of the public spotted a fox with a bolt sticking out of its back in Parkgate, near Greenwich, on Thursday.

Volunteers with the Fox Project charity treated the animal and brought it to their base in Kent, but were unable to save it.

Another fox had previously been found dead in the same area and a third is reported to have been seen at the same location with an arrow in its body.

A reward of £2,000 is being offered for information that leads to a conviction, and Scotland Yard is investigating the slaughter.

“It’s absolutely shocking that two animals have died in such awful circumstances,” said Conchi Gago, from the Metropolitan Police’s Wildlife Crime Unit.

“It is obvious that whoever did this did so deliberately and it is disturbing to think that someone would intend to injure and kill a wild animal.”

It is against the law under section 11 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act to kill or capture any wild animals using a bow or crossbow.

In 2017, researchers from Brighton and Reading universities estimated there are 150,000 urban foxes in England, one for every 300 human residents.

“Every year we treat more than 1,000 foxes at our specialist rescue centre but this is a truly shocking case,” said Trevor Williams, founder of the Fox Project.

“It’s hard to understand that there is a small minority of people in society who are capable of such extreme cruelty to animals.”

Anyone with information is asked to call 020 7230 8898 or email Wildlife-SCD6@met.police.uk quoting CAD 4617/06Nov.