The top British fox hunter bruce lindsay-smith Hired by the royal family after a fox defecated on Prince George’s toys and chased after King Charles’ dogs. “They didn’t want the kids running around on the grass with fox droppings. You can’t blame them,” he said.
Considered the most sought after in the UK, Bruce said there are now 150,000 urban foxes in the UK – more than almost any other country. In the past, he was also hired by famous singers and tycoons, as well as by companies that own large football and rugby stadiums.
However Smith points out that he keeps a pet fox named Charlie that he found as a puppy, and instead of killing him, he raised him alongside his Jack Russell dogs. “I do find animals very interesting,” he said, “you can learn things from them – their abilities, their preferences. But I never got too attached to Charlie. He was never a friendly fox,” he noted.
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Smith’s practice is considered controversial mainly by those who argue that ways should be explored to live with urban foxes instead of killing them. Trevor Williams, a leading figure in animal conservation, believes that it is impossible to create a “fox-free zone”.