Personal trainer saves pet Chihuahua from vicious fox attack

Marie Wilson broke her toe saving her dog from a fox attack
Hatty Collier1 March 2017

A personal trainer has told how she fought off a fox which viciously mauled her pet Chihuahua after finding its way into her garden.

Marie Wilson, from Islington, has told of her horror at finding her beloved pet dog Madison locked in the fox’s jaws while she was getting ready for work on Thursday afternoon

She rushed to the aid of her seven year old pet, who suffered deep lacerations and lost several teeth in the attack.

Ms Wilson, 42, told the Standard she rushed outside, dressed in just her bathrobe and slippers, and began kicking the fox repeatedly until it let go of her pet.

Bandaged up: Madison had surgery on her stomach

She said she kicked the fox so hard she broke her toe.

She rushed Madison to an animal rescue charity in Canning Town where vets performed emergency surgery on her stomach.

Fitness instructor Marie Wilson saved her dog from a fox attack

Ms Wilson, who has been a personal trainer for more than two decades, said: “It’s something I will never ever forget. I turned my back for a second and when I turned back around, the whole of Madison’s stomach was locked in the fox’s mouth.

"My other dog was barking like crazy.

“I ran out in just my bathrobe and slippers and started shouting and swearing.

“I was kicking the fox in the head to try and get it to let go of her out of its mouth. I thought she was dead already at first. I was kicking and kicking.

Rescued: Madison was saved after Ms Wilson fended off the fox

“He pulled away from me and started dragging her little body across the ground. I just gave the fox this almighty kick and that’s what broke my toe.

“All I wanted to do was damage this fox.”

Ms Wilson said the fox eventually dropped Madison, who was helped back into the house by her other Chihuahua Finley.

“The fox then tried to get into the house to get Madison back and I gave him this almighty wallop on his nose, ran inside and locked the door,” she added.

Madison is expected to make a full recovery after she was treated by vets at the Celia Hammond Animal Trust.

Ms Wilson added that she has since been given a cricket bat from a friend, which she plans to use if a fox strikes again.

She urged Islington Council to do more to tackle urban foxes and said they are a “growing menace” in her area.

“The council aren’t doing enough to spread the message and tell people not to feed them, give them names or treat them like pets,” she said.

An Islington Council spokesman said: “We were saddened and concerned to hear about this upsetting incident and hope Ms Wilson’s dog makes a full recovery.

“Unfortunately, under existing controls, the council has no remit to regulate local fox populations as they do not carry disease, unlike rats. We’d suggest Ms Wilson contacts the Fox Project, which provides helpful practical advice on deterring the animals.”

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