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Three people and two dogs are being treated for rabies after being attacked by rabid fox who went on a rampage in Briarcliff Manor, the Westchester County Health Department said. The fox was captured after it ran into a house on Austin Place and was cornered in the bedroom.
"Anyone who believes that they or a pet may have had contact with this fox should contact the Westchester County Department of Health immediately at 914-813-5000 to assess the need for rabies treatment," county Acting Commissioner of Health Cheryl Archbald said. "Anyone bitten by a rabid animal, or having contact with its saliva may need to receive immediate rabies vaccination."
In the first incident, the fox attacked a dog in the back yard of a home on Long Hill Road around 7 p.m. on Wednesday. The owner scared away the fox and a six-year-old boy who was in the yard was uninjured. The fox ran off into a wooded area behind the home and then showed up on Chestnut Hill Lane around 8:45 p.m., where it lunged at an 18-year-old who was in his backyard playing basketball with several friends.
In the third incident, also on Chestnut Hill Lane, the animal bit a 20-year-old man on the left leg and right ankle at around 9:30 p.m. as the man was walking home. The man fractured his wrist trying to escape from the animal.
In the fourth attack at around 10 p.m., a woman was bitten on the leg outside her home on Austin Place. A neighbor heard her screams and ran outside. He left his front door open, and after scaring off the fox from the woman, the fox ran into his house and bit his dog.
The fox was cornered in a bedroom and captured and submitted for testing on Thursday.
Test results confirmed today that the fox was rabid, the county health department said. All three people attacked and both dogs are being treated for rabies.
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