Just a thought, but I suppose being hunted by hounds is the closest thing we can do to provide foxes with their natural death. Originally of course their main predator was the wolf, who hunts in packs, chases prey to exhaustion and then tears it apart. Since the wolf has been eradicated from these islands (because of its predation on livestock at a time in history when the loss of a cow meant people starved - they couldn't pop to the shops for a joint) it makes best sense to replace it as closely as possible, but without the predation on livestock downside.