HOLLIS, N.H. (WHDH) – A rabid fox bit a 4-year-old girl Tuesday in Hollis, N.H., before police euthanized the sick animal on scene — a decision that garnered some criticism from locals, officials said.
At around 3:30 p.m., Hollis police and emergency crews responded to Truell Road for a report of a child bitten by a fox, according to a statement from Hollis Police Chief Brendan LaFlamme. The fox showed “obvious signs of illness and aggression,” he said.
The 4-year-old girl’s mother was able to hold the fox down to keep it from causing more damage to her child, LaFlamme said.
When police officers arrived, they took control of the animal and euthanized it on scene, he said. New Hampshire conservation officers took the fox’s body to be tested for diseases, and the results revealed it was positive for rabies, according to LaFlamme.
Rabies is a vaccine-preventable viral disease that affects the central nervous system, according to the World Health Organization. Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is virtually 100 percent fatal, WHO said.
It can spread to people and animals via saliva — typically bites, scratches, or contact with eyes, mouth, or open wounds, the organization said.
Both the mother and 4-year-old child received medical treatment and are expected to be okay, LaFlamme said.
The police department received “multiple” calls from the public about the incident, with some local residents criticizing the officers’ decision to kill the fox, he said. However, LaFlamme reaffirmed his support for their actions.
“They acted quickly and professionally to make the scene safe so that the injured 4-year-old could get the treatment that she needed,” he said in the statement. “Their actions prevented any further injury to people and animals, slowed the spread of this disease, and ended the animal’s suffering.”
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