Officials suspect animal is rabid
photo © 2009 Ingrid Taylar | more info (via: Wylio)Wednesday, July 6, 2011
By K.A. WAGONER - Staff Writer Franklin News Post
A puppy and a 33-year-old woman were bitten by a gray fox, which is believed to be rabid, in Callaway Sunday afternoon.
Tonya Foster was bitten when she went outside to check on her 5-month-old Labrador puppy, according to Brandon Mitchell with Franklin County Animal Control.
Foster was treated at Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital, Mitchell said. The puppy had to be euthanized.
Sgts. Lewis Wimmer and Kelvin Pruett and Deputy Nick Shockley with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office responded to a 5:20 p.m. call on Sunset Ridge Drive, just off Old Forge Road. They searched the area but were unable to locate the animal because of heavy underbrush, according to Lt. Jeff Woody.
The fox is believed to be rabid based on its aggressive behavior, Mitchell said. Foxes are usually reclusive animals that hunt at night.
Rabies is a fatal disease that is caused by a virus, according to Robert Parker with the Virginia Department of Health. The rabies virus is present predominantly in the saliva and nervous tissue (brain and nerve cells) of infected animals and is transmitted most often by a bite.
Read this entire article here in the Franklin News Post
BRFAL Chapter of Virginia Master Naturalist wants you to get outside but be safe, repoirt any animals acting strangely, or even if you see a nocturnal animal wandering around during the day! Learn more about the Virginia Master Naturalist program here. Keep an eye on this blog for updates and announcements for BRFAL CHAPTER classes!
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