Eastern suburbs residents urged to lock up their pets

A FOX with a nose for the finer things in life has been caught red pawed fossicking for scraps in Australia’s richest street.

We presume there are a different calibre of scraps available in Point Piper bins.

A FOX with a nose for the finer things in life has been caught red pawed fossicking for scraps in Australia’s richest street.

Foxes are well known to inhabit the eastern suburbs but it takes a particularly bold vixen to slink into the millionaires club neighbourhood famously occupied by the likes of former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Westfield boss Frank Lowy.

Veterinarian Michele Cotton had an inkling something had been coming into her yard on Wolseley Rd, Point Piper and disturbing her chickens.

When neighbourhood children told her they thought they’d spotted a fox on her property, Dr Cotton installed a motion detection camera.

The cheeky fox makes itself at home.

“After going through over 4000 images, mostly of cats and possums, but during the day chooks and various local birds, I was thrilled to see several pics of the fox,” Dr Cotton said.

“It’s a reminder to people that foxes are very common here and if they have little guinea pigs, rabbits or chooks they have to be very careful to fox-proof their cages — especially at night.

“But foxes are cheeky and can come during the early mornings and afternoons too.” Dr

Cotton said due to the frequency of fox sightings she urged cat owners to keep their pets inside at night.

With its distinctive tail there’s no mistaking this critter.

According to feralscan.org.au — a website dedicated to recording sightings of introduced species in urban areas — residents have reported a very high number of foxes near Dudley Page Reserve at Dover Heights.

They are also spotted on the beach at Tamarama and along the Bondi to Bronte Coastal Walk.

Woollahra council has received two official complaints about foxes so far this year.

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“No control measures are currently in place. Foxes are commonly found in the Woollahra Local Government Area in all bushland reserves, but the population’s current level of impact does not warrant an eradication program,” a council spokesman said.

“Foxes are scavengers and will use any food source, so it’s recommended adopting several practices to avoid attracting them, including not leaving pet food outside overnight and feeding pets indoors if possible, ensuring garbage bins are covered and that any chickens are kept in locked enclosures with rooves.”