Recent correspondence on foxes and suchlike brings me to wonder what makes people need to hate other creatures.

If it’s not gulls, it’s foxes, squirrels, pigeons and, some years ago, it was starlings roosting in trees and “polluting” cars – any creature, in fact, which dares to encroach on humans in any way.

After years of reading this stuff, my annoyance has given way to sadness for those who have no empathy or compassion for other creatures sharing the Earth with us.

Even in cities, there are those who cannot see and value the beauty of a gull soaring aloft or the grace of a fox.

Roger Musselle has pointed out the legal aspects (Letters, February 20) but I also think that a life enriched by what our animal neighbours can give us is well worth a bit of tolerance.

A life without animals is the poorer for it.

Joyce Edmond-Smith, Bentham Road, Brighton

Foxes do things to survive that upset humans but they cannot be called “evil” (Letters, February 17).

My rabbit Snoopy was killed by a fox and it was awful but I could not say the fox was evil, despite my heartache.

Lesley Kite, Brighton

Never before in my life have I read that a day in the life of a fox can be compared to shopping at Tesco (Letters, February 21).

I do hope local managers will not take offence that going into Tesco is like going into a den of thieves.

On the other hand, perhaps the cunning fox has cottoned on to the slogan that “every little helps”.

Roy Hilliard, Old Shoreham Road, Portslade

It would seem Tom Keightley – a “pest controller” – triggered a lot of people to write to the Letters pages of The Argus voicing their feelings on fox culling.

I am one of those people as I have strong feelings regarding the fox, be it urban or rural.

Can the fox really be a threat to school pupils? The foxes I see disappear in a flash at the slightest sound. Children attend school during the day – the fox appears at night. That says quite a lot about their chances of meeting.

I believe the fox is totally misunderstood. Parents, teachers and even Tom Keightley should be far more concerned about untrained, unruly dogs.

A child is far more likely to be bitten by a dog than a fox. We see more dog-related child attacks now than ever before.

We can’t judge all foxes by the occasional one that steps out of line. They don’t deserve to be shot for no reason or money.

Let’s leave the fox alone – give it a rest from persecution, which has gone on for too long.

I would hate to see my local (very timid) fox not appear in my garden. And, no, I don’t feed it.

Gloria Wheatcroft, The Drive, Hove