Authorities in Arizona are warning people to be on guard against ferocious foxes that are wreaking havoc on pets and their owners, according to local reports.
Since January 18, Navajo County officials have recorded four incidents of wild foxes approaching and attacking humans, the county said in a statement. Two of the offending foxes were captured by animal control staff, and their remains tested positive for rabies.
Officials are advising residents to keep their pets on leashes and within sight to keep them and their owners safe.
“They might say, 'Oh, that's a cute fox.' Well, that might be cute, but in this case, they're rabid,” said Brandom Damron of Navajo County Animal Care and Control in AZ told the family.
The attack occurred while a man was hiking and the fox “just came out and lunged at him,” Damron said.
“Foxes go onto people's property and they just chase them. That's why it's strange because foxes generally stay away from people,” Damron said.
Not all attacking foxes are trapped by authorities. In one case, a fox invaded a backyard and killed a cat.
“That fox is still out there, and it was unusual behavior because the woman who lived in the mansion had the fox attack her cat and then the fox chased her,” Damron said.
Rabies is a virus that affects the nervous system and can be transmitted by being bitten by an infected animal or by getting saliva or saliva from an infected animal into the eyes, mouth, nose, or open wounds.
Rabies is fatal if left untreated, so anyone exposed to rabies must receive treatment within 72 hours.
