Example Letter to your Local Councillors about a Fox Cull

Below is an example of a letter you can send to your local councillors to ask them to oppose a fox cull in their area.

A councillor’s role is to represent and advocate for those that live in their area and to provide a bridge between the community and the council. If the cull is being carried out by your local council, you can ask one or more of your local councillors to approach the council on your behalf. If the cull is on private property, for example, a shop, they may still get involved.

If you can, please personalise the words, as this helps your letter have more impact, especially if other residents are also writing to them.

Dear Councillor [Name] 

I am writing as a resident of [your area] as I have discovered that the council is planning to cull foxes at [location]. I, like many people, enjoy seeing foxes and other wildlife in our local area. To persecute and kill these beautiful creatures is likely to be extremely unpopular. 

Methods used to cull foxes are cruel and can inflict terrible suffering. Shooting frequently leaves foxes wounded and unable to hunt, which can lead to a slow and painful death. Trapping a fox and then releasing them in another area can cause extreme stress, as they are being removed from their own territory. If a female fox with young cubs is killed or injured, her babies can starve to death.  

As well as being cruel, killing foxes does not work, so it is a waste of resources. This is because foxes are territorial, so if one is killed another fox will enter their territory, potentially leading to an endless cycle of culling.  

There are many cost-effective humane alternatives to culling, which effectively deter foxes from an area. These are explained in the following resources: 

  1. Animal Aid’s ‘Alternatives to Culling’ booklet: https://www.animalaid.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/alternativestoculling2022-4.pdf 
  2. Animal Aid’s ‘Fox Humane Deterrence’ sheet: https://www.animalaid.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Fox-advice-sheet.pdf  

They also contain contact details for several companies that specialise in humane wildlife deterrence. 

As my local councillor I ask that you raise this issue within the council, to ask them to reconsider their decision to cull the foxes and instead opt for non-lethal humane methods.  

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely, 

 

[Name] 

[Address] 

Find contact details for your local councillors