I watched in terror as fox savaged chihuahuas in garden

The wife of a leading food writer told today of her horror at seeing a fox savage her chihuahua puppies in the garden.

Julia Hsiung was at home in West Hampstead when she heard one of the puppies squealing in agony and the other barking frantically. She rushed to investigate and saw a big fox carrying five-month-old Arabella in its mouth as six-month-old Alfredo yapped at its heels.

Alfredo bit the fox on the leg and it dropped Arabella before chasing him around the garden. Mrs Hsiung, the wife of Chinese food writer Deh-Ta Hsiung, grabbed a garden fork and the fox fled when she went to strike it. She said: "It was almost the size of an alsatian.

"Arabella was yelping and in agony. She was covered in slime. I washed her and saw she was bleeding badly."

Mrs Hsiung took Arabella to a Hendon vet, who operated to prevent her wounds becoming infected. Three days of veterinary intensive care fees cost the couple £2,200. Mrs Hsiung said she was most concerned at the ferocity of the attack, which left Alfredo afraid to go out.

Mr Hsiung is also wary of going in the garden alone. Two years ago he had a stroke that paralysed one arm and he fears that if the fox returns he will be unable to defend himself or his pets.

Mrs Hsiung phoned Camden council for pest control but was told that it no longer deals with foxes.
She said: "The authority should do something to keep foxes out of built-up areas. A few cats were also attacked in the area recently. Next time the victim could be a child." The council said its pest control team can advise on deterrence but residents should contact a private company if they want to eliminate foxes from their gardens.

The RSPCA said attacks by foxes on other animals are rare, adding: "Foxes are shy by nature. It would only be as a last-ditch measure that they would attack another animal.

"They are fairly small. Even though the dogs were just chihuahuas, the fox may have felt threatened by them."