Cathy Summers photo

The Daily Telegraph, Sydney, Australia, August 24, 2015: “DON’T be fooled by its furry face—this daring fox has been blamed for killing seven pets in Kellyville and terrorising children in the neighbourhood.”

Whew! How low has “journalism” sunk these days? (Not news, just our opinion.)

Journalist Angela Ranke continues with a subhead: “Fox on the prowl in Kellyville, residents warned to lock up their pets.”

Yikes! Would Australia declare a national emergency if a coyote or bear were seen crossing the driveway? C’mon Aussies, we know you guys are tougher than that. (Not news, just our long-held impression.)

What happened to evoke such terror amongst the defenseless citizens of heretofore quiet Kellyville? Ms. Ranke gives us the facts. Assumptions, actually. She reports that the fox shown in a video “is thought to be the same one” that killed a pet rabbit and “could also be responsible for the killing of six chickens” at a suburban pre-school.

Yuh, well, that “could” happen. Foxes do that. After all, a fox has to eat. Don’t the Aussies kill lambs and chickens for the same reason? (Not news, just our query.)

The video of the fox calmly walking a stone wall outside the house of the deceased rabbit is captioned, “Fox runs riot in suburban home.” Ms. Ranke quotes the homeowner/videographer as saying, ““My kids don’t want to play outside anymore, fearing the fox will come and attack them. It must be pretty desperate to come out in broad daylight and being a wild animal it can’t be trusted.”

“Poor chickens and sad kiddies,” said another neighbor.

OK, I know there are such people in New York City and San Francisco, but in Australia? Where they wrestle crocodiles for amusement? (Not news, just our bewilderment.)

Click for the entire story of terror in Kellyville.

Posted August 28, 2015