Adams Police Capture Suspected Rabid Fox
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ADAMS, Mass. — Adams Police captured a fox believed to be the one that bit a child at Big Basin on Sunday night.
Police Chief Richard Tarsa said the fox was discovered Monday evening on Meadow Street.
"We caught it without incident. It was found in a yard directly above the Big Basin area where the child was bitten," Tarsa said. "It is a public safety and a public health issue so we are having it tested appropriately for rabies."
Tarsa said Officer David Dean transported the fox to Greylock Animal Hospital in North Adams for testing.
Tarsa said Officer Michael Wandrei was on the scene when the child was bitten on the heel by the fox and transported to the hospital. He added that he was also on scene when the fox was captured Monday and noted that the fox matched the original description.
"The description that he was given of the size and the color and the sickly appearance matched the fox that was found Monday evening," Tarsa said. "The odds of it being the one responsible for biting the child is favorable but we aren't positive."
Tarsa said although the police are pretty sure they have the right fox, there is always the chance of another sickly fox running amok.
This is just the latest incident of rabid animals. A child in Pittsfield was bitten by a fox in late July that proved rabid, and a cat was suspected of rabies in North Adams. There also are reports of rabies in South County.
Tags: rabies, wild animals,
