Community Corner

Likely Rabid Fox Attacks Two in Bowie

Both victims have since received the first in a series of rabies shots, according to officials.

A fox displaying signs of rabies attacked two Bowie residents in separate incidents on Sunday night, according to Bowie Animal Control Officer Mike Morreale.

The first incident occurred in the 12000 block of Madeley Lane at around 6 p.m. when the four-year-old victim, his brother and his father were disassembling a tent in their backyard. Morreale said Madeley Lane backs up to a creek bed that is home to several fox dens.

According to Morreale, the fox came into the backyard and the victim and his family began to run. The boy fell and the fox began biting and scratching his hand, but the boy’s brother began kicking the fox and successfully scared it away.

The second victim was attacked on Chanler Lane at around 11 p.m. when she was standing outside of her home smoking a cigarette, Morreale said. The fox appeared in her driveway and the victim retreated to her garage but the fox charged her and bit her knee and both ankles. She was able to hit the fox and scare him away, Morreale said.

The woman told Morreale that the fox “didn’t look right” and that it’s jaw was dropped.

“The jaw dropped is the biggest indicator of a rabid animal,” said Morreale.

People commonly assume that foaming at the mouth is the biggest indicator of rabies, said Morreale, and while rabid animals do exhibit that symptom caused by dehydration, rabies affects motor function causing animals jaws to drop and making them unable to close them.

Though it is impossible to know for sure if the fox had rabies without performing a test, Morreale said that based on the descriptions he's received of the fox's behavior, rabies is a likely diagnosis.

Morreale has been working for in Bowie for 13 years and this is the first time he’s seen a fox attack. Morreale said foxes are usually timid animals.

Though he has set traps on Madeley Lane, Morreale said that the likelihood of capturing the fox is very slim because no one has seen it since Sunday and he thinks it has probably died.

“Based on what we know and what’s been reported, this fox is in the last stages of the disease,” he said.

Morreale encouraged resident not to feed wildlife of any kind, as it can encourage the animals to go into people’s yards and it can encourage nocturnal animals, like foxes, to come out during the day. He also said anyone who sees any animal acting strangely should call Bowie Animal Control.

Both fox attack victims have since received the first in a series of rabies shots.

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