AN ANIMAL sanctuary owner in Middle Littleton has called for a halt to wildlife carnage, now her pet dog has been poisoned.

Janet Taylor from the Farm Animal Sanctuary in Middle Littleton believes whoever was responsible for poisoning her eight-year-old dog Tessa, has also killed eight foxes over the last few months.

She said: "Enough is enough, especially now pet animals are involved. Tessa has already had a traumatic past having been rescued from Spain, badly injured and starving. Now she has liver and pancreas damage. The vet said she was very lucky to be alive."

Mrs Taylor said she believed landowners with a hate for foxes may be involved. She said: "Foxes are regular visitors on our land and we don't have any problem with them, neither do other villagers, who also feed them.

Lately we have been discovering young foxes stretched out in the open with gaping mouths who have obviously suffered a horrible death."

She explained that sick wild animals usually went back to their dens, or earths, to die if they become ill. Mrs Taylor added: "If there is a problem with the way we treat foxes I would like people to come and talk to us about it. Villagers were feeding them years before we came to the village."

A spokesperson for the RSPCA, Nicki Austin, said foxes were not protected animals therefore poisoning was not an illegal offence, but the administerers of poison must obey certain rules. She said the poison must not be left in the open where domestic or protected wild animals could pick it up."