Despite the endearing Fox Mural adorning the Penge gate  at Crystal Palace, Bromley Council are still classifying Foxes as  "Common Pests," 

Bromley has the largest fox population per square km in London, but the Council's own Environmental Health page currently lists Foxes under "common pests" alongside rats and cockroaches.

This petition will be presented to the Environment Committee;  requesting LBB to change their erroneous classification.

LBB's classification is factually incorrect. Under UK law, foxes are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Protection of Animals Act, and Wild Mammals Protection Act 1996.  They can not legally be listed as a pest to be exterminated. Government guidance (DEFRA) classes them as wild mammals, not pests.

Indeed, foxes are a native species - providing ecosystem services; classified as alpha predators of pest species - such as brown rats.

Calling them a common pest - misleads residents into thinking the Council should remove them and can lead to fox unfriendly residents taking eradication measures - by way of poisoning - which is illegal.

It creates more problems for the Council
as the wording promotes residents to believe foxes are a Council pest-control  obligation, this calling Environmental Health for assistance. LBB patently states it does not offer a fox control service -  so labelling Foxes as a pest encourages calls the council do not have the capacity to handle.

Most London councils that changed the wording  i.e. Hackney, Islington, Lewisham - saw a drop in fox complaints because they replaced it with prevention advice.

Foxes save the Council money. One urban fox eats ∼5,000 rats, mice, and cockchafers a year, plus carrion. Bromley spends a significant budget on rodent control. Encouraging foxes as natural rodent controllers is in line with your pesticide reduction policy.

Also, the pest label encourages illegal activity - Bromley has had prosecutions for fox poisoning and illegal snares; our leader has tragically witnessed Foxes falling victim to both, and it is truly distressing and heartbreaking.

Better Bromley are also aware from the judiciary - that Bromley labelling Foxes as pests has been cited in defence cases as "I thought I was allowed". Changing the language helps enforcement of animal cruelty law.

Bromley's Biodiversity Plan 2021-2026 commits to "promoting coexistence with urban mammals" and protecting green corridors. Listing foxes alongside rats directly contradicts that undertaking.

We, the undersigned, call on Bromley Council to remove Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from the 'Common Pests' section of its website and public communications, and reclassify them as 'Wild Mammals' or  'Urban Wildlife'.

We request the Council :

1. To move foxes to the Wildlife / Biodiversity advice pages

2. Replace pest-control language with humane deterrence advice already used by the RSPCA, BPCA, Fox Project, and London Wildlife Trust. Clarify that Bromley does not provide fox culling, in line with DEFRA guidance. 

This is not a call for increased funding but to urge LBB to employ accurate, legal, and ecologically sound communication, commensurate to DEFRA's classification. This will reduce unnecessary service requests and support Bromley's own Biodiversity Strategy.