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This evening as I proceeded home and reached a point about a half mile from home I saw what appeared to be a cat walking unsteadily up the center of the road. As I got closer it turned to the side and I could see it was a fox with barely any fur. It wobbled from side to side and eventually wandered into my neighbor's pasture and walked right up to one of his calves and laid down. a few feet from the calf. I saw the neighbor out and told him about it. He said there are four extremely sick foxes that act like that. He has gone down with the rifle but never sees them. I really don't want any mange in my stock. and this was just a quarter mile from the end of my pasture.
I figure I probably can not legally put them down. Do I notify the WCO? If so what will he or she do? In the past, I figured that if I had proof of a sick animal, if charged the Magistrate would likley overlook it anyway, but now with the new law going into effect, diseased animals that present a danger to domestic stock need to be addressed in a way less than possible jail time and steep fines.
I hate poachers, but don't want to become one for doing a public service.
I figure I probably can not legally put them down. Do I notify the WCO? If so what will he or she do? In the past, I figured that if I had proof of a sick animal, if charged the Magistrate would likley overlook it anyway, but now with the new law going into effect, diseased animals that present a danger to domestic stock need to be addressed in a way less than possible jail time and steep fines.
I hate poachers, but don't want to become one for doing a public service.