Police investigating animal cruelty case after fox shot several times in Tottenham

Tottenham police are investigating a case of animal cruelty after a fox was found along the road with several gun wounds. (OPP)

Tottenham police are investigating a case of animal cruelty after a fox was discovered along the road with several gunshot wounds.

On Oct. 24, officers with the Nottawasaga Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to reports of an injured fox believed to have been struck by a vehicle near a residential property.

Police arrived in the area but were unable to track down the injured animal.

Days later, Procyon Wildlife, a local rescue service, received multiple community reports and successfully captured the fox near St. James Roman Catholic Cemetery.

“A veterinary assessment revealed the fox had not been hit by a vehicle but had instead been shot several times with a pellet or BB gun. These injuries left the fox permanently paralyzed, and it was required to be euthanized to prevent further suffering,” stated OPP in a Monday release.

The team at Procyon said he was shot three times in his abdomen, once in each hind leg, once in his front left paw, and twice in his spinal cord. “He dragged himself around for at least five days and had worn his knees down to the bone,” stated Procyon Wildlife members. “This animal suffered by the hands of a human who used him for target practice.”

This incident is now being investigated as a case of animal cruelty.

The OPP has reported the case to Provincial Animal Welfare Services and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Nottawasaga OPP at 1-888-310-1122. Information can also be shared directly with PAWS at 1-833-926-4625.