lol.. they would be held responsible if it were in Texas!
yeah.. dropping off a known predator onto private property here makes whoever dropped it off responsible.. INCLUDING if it were government employees...
I'll stick with Texas...
but regardless of all that.. a private citizen shouldn't be relocating predators onto someones property without their permission.. doesn't matter where you live... dumping your problem off onto someone else is just wrong...
The DFG (department of fish and game) will kill a non-native red fox according to its website. Native foxes will be relocated.
California may be unique in a way Texas isn't. For example, there are many mountain communities surrounded by federal and state lands along with many residential communities built adjacent to state and federal wild life habitat areas...
Major cities and counties like LA, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, etc..allow builders to expand right up to, and in some cases, into wild areas which at one time may have been a 1000 acre private ranch. Once the acreage is sold, it is sub-divided and built on.
Basically, the DFG can relocate on state and federal land but that doesn't mean that the state / federal land is far from communities...it is what it is...The native species of foxes here in California are on the endangered species list and are protected...
One can debate if the endangered species act is needed / flawed...one could debate if a few chickens are worth the life of a fox or any predator...however, the debate ends if you are put in jail for breaking the law and in my opinion, no chicken is worth losing ones freedom over....or even paying heavy fines and getting a record...pick and choose your battles...
BTW, it is illegal for a private citizens to relocate any animal in California. If you trap it, you release it on that spot or call the appropriate agency to pick it up. You can legally trap if you follow DFG guidelines.