Hello Maxine, it was me weepiper not Cantrip who wrote that, we live together and I didn't notice the cookie wasn't reset for me before I submitted that message.
Well, yes, the fact that it was running terrified etc IS really neither here nor there. I don't really equate a prey animal being killed by a dog with the sort of terrible things I think you must come across in your line of work.
It's not terrible or pointless. It's natural selection at work. What I do disagree with is the practice of stopping up earths and digging out. If the fox gets away that should be the end of it.