CATFORD: Mum living in fear after fox attack (From News Shopper)
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Mum living in fear after fox attack in Catford
10:22am Wednesday 22nd December 2010 in News By Nalini Sivathasan
Dawn Elimlahi with her bitten finger
A MUM-OF-TWO fears for the community’s safety after a fox attacked her at the family home in Catford.
Dawn Elimlahi, 49, said the fox bit her hand outside her front door in Bourneside Gardens, Flower House Estate, on the evening of December 8.
Mrs Elimlahi, who is now taking antibiotics for her injury, believes the fox may have bitten another woman in the same area.
She told News Shopper: "A dirty and bedraggled fox had been hanging around for a few days.
“I went outside the front door to get my cat to come inside and I tried to shush away the fox. My daughter was inside and heard a loud crunch. It was the fox biting my finger."
She added. "I was in shock and shaking from the attack. The fox wasn't scared at all, it was hanging around the area afterwards."
Mrs Elimlahi said she did not leave her house in fear of another attack and she believes the animal is still lurking nearby.
She said: "People are scared of it and are frightened to come out, it's a threat to people, especially children.”
Ms Elimlahi has reported the incident to the caretaker in her estate, but is angry that no one is dealing with the problem.
She said: "The police said they couldn't do anything, and the RSPCA said they couldn't either because the fox wasn't injured.
"It could go inside someone's house next time. The RSPCA said foxes don't normally bite, but what if it's got rabies?"
Comments(23)
gemmy
says...
10:53am Wed 22 Dec 10
Stupid woman, we don't have rabies in this country!
porkpie
says...
11:36am Wed 22 Dec 10
TroyMcClure
says...
11:40am Wed 22 Dec 10
Is it the same fox doing the attacks or different ones?
Locked and Loaded
says...
11:59am Wed 22 Dec 10
PS Dawn, try a wash and do you own an iron ?
puss in boots
says...
12:08pm Wed 22 Dec 10
i hope the fox didnt catch anything when it bit her
porkpie
says...
12:21pm Wed 22 Dec 10
mr2wheels100
says...
12:27pm Wed 22 Dec 10
What total rubbish.
This is clearly an attention seeker who had one too many that night before trying to get her tiddles to come in.
Funny how the fox found that rather manky, dirty finger nicer then poor Tiddles who was also outside.
Locked and Loaded
says...
12:30pm Wed 22 Dec 10
Erastus
says...
12:33pm Wed 22 Dec 10
Erastus
says...
12:34pm Wed 22 Dec 10
puss in boots
says...
12:54pm Wed 22 Dec 10
puss in boots
says...
1:03pm Wed 22 Dec 10
available - a fox has turned up, in a bad way reckon it might need a tetnus
Locked and Loaded
says...
1:04pm Wed 22 Dec 10
Erastus
says...
1:28pm Wed 22 Dec 10
puss in boots wrote:That must be the comment of the year! I actually AM (almost) rolling on the floor laughing. Well, laughing in my chair, at least!
more like FFS
Nice one!
Erastus
says...
1:29pm Wed 22 Dec 10
Locked and Loaded wrote:Locked, sorry but you are a bit behind the times, mate. They lost the 'H' a few years back. After all, there's not much health about in the land of levver!
Of course you do all mean DHSS !!
ModernToss
says...
6:53pm Wed 22 Dec 10
I'm not sure what her problem is. Most people in Catford own a gun, just shoot it.
Excalibur
says...
11:34am Thu 23 Dec 10
BeckenhamCloud9
says...
4:20pm Thu 23 Dec 10
11:40am Wed 22 Dec 10
First I was not too concerned about these stories of foxes attacking humans but now it’s getting scary. I live within a 5 mile radius of the last attack and until the beast is caught or preferably destroyed I will be keeping doors and windows firmly shut at all times.
Is it the same fox doing the attacks or different ones?
Where is Catford Village???
Marty1979
says...
4:28pm Thu 23 Dec 10
"she did not leave her house in fear of another attack"
I often see foxes - they run as soon as they see me!
And did the fox leap 3 feet to grab her finger?
bizzymum
says...
4:56pm Thu 23 Dec 10
reasonable75
says...
6:21pm Thu 23 Dec 10
Perhaps Bellingham or Downham?
And how come she hasn't got a dressing on her "bitten" finger
porkpie
says...
9:26am Fri 24 Dec 10
bizzymum wrote:Good Idea - There have been some great tales this year. Maybe even some Darwin awards. My vote goes to the Bromley pigeon attack.
I think NS should run one of those year end reviews of all the worst news stories of 2010. Like this one! My personal favourite of the year was the woman from Dartford who had blood weeping out of her eyes and fancied a new conservatory which NS readers were then asked to help with the cost of. Did they raise enough - we never heard any more about it. I often think about that.
Erastus says...
10:42am Wed 22 Dec 10
Did this particular fox also bite all Mrs Elimlahi's fingernails too? It MUST have been hungry.
Stop biting them for New Year, love. Not nice.