Dead fox found in suitcase in Colchester's Hythe area

Connor Arpino, 30, was out walking along a trail in the Hythe by the River Colne, on Friday August 23 with his brother who was visiting Colchester.  

The pair found a suitcase which was shrink-wrapped by the water, with “curiosity getting the better of them” making them both look.

Connor, who first thought it was a dog, said: “There was a horrific smell, and it has been really well-wrapped in plastic and preserved.

“It looked quite young, it was a sandy beige colour with a white tip on its tail and it was in a child’s suitcase."

Connor thought that it was a dog as it was "fairy large" and smelled so strong meaning it was quickly covered up. 

The news came the same week a dead bully-type dog was found in flytipping in south Essex.

Connor added: “I am a really big animal lover so it was pretty soul destroying that, I don’t know what I was expected to find but that was not it.

“My brother was very quiet, he came down to visit, so was a bit recluse that weekend after that.”

Concerned - Connor Arpino had already checked missing dog websites to find a match (Image: Submitted)

Conor reported the incident to the police, RSPCA and Colchester Council. 

He told the Gazette that what also made him want to speak up was reading about the residents who spotted a dead bully-type dog on a large pile of building materials on Saturday in Rochford.

Footage - The opening of the wrapped suitcase was shared with the Gazette (Image: Submitted)

Councillor Mike Steptoe said the fly-tip was “one of the most horrendous” he had ever seen.

Mr Steptoe was unsure of the breed of the dog and described it as a “bully-type” dog but was unsure if it was an XL Bully following the ban on the breed last year.

Essex Police were contacted for comment.

A spokesman for the RSPCA said: “If someone does find the body of a dead animal in suspicious circumstances, like this, then we'd encourage them to report it to us by visiting www.rspca.org.uk/reportaconcern”.

A spokesman for Colchester City Council said: “We were saddened to learn about the discovery of a deceased fox cub intentionally placed inside a suitcase in the Hythe Moors area."

“One of our Neighbourhood Wardens visited the Hythe Moors location to investigate further and located the deceased fox cub off the main path. The cub has been bagged and taken to our Shrub End depot for proper disposal.

“We want to assure residents that we take animal welfare concerns very seriously. If you find a deceased animal, please report it to the council through our website: www.colchester.gov.uk/StreetCleaningRequest. This allows us to arrange for proper disposal through our contractor.

“There are several options available for disposing of deceased pets, including contacting a vet or using a pet bereavement service. We recommend reaching out to your veterinarian for the most appropriate course of action.”

You can also call the RSPCA cruelty and neglect line to report a concern on 0300 1234 999 with lines being open from 8am to 8pm.