Rabid fox attacks child at family picnic near Maiden
A fox that attacked a child at a family picnic near Maiden became Catawba County’s first confirmed rabies case of the year.
Shortly before 5:30 p.m. Friday, a homeowner east of Maiden called Catawba County Animal Services to report that he and his wife were having a picnic with two of their grandchildren when a fox suddenly ran up and began biting one of the children on both legs.
The fox broke off the attack when family members began screaming, but the animal began circling back toward the family. The homeowner then shot and killed the fox.
The N.C. Public Health Laboratory in Raleigh notified Catawba County on Wednesday that the fox tested positive for rabies.
Joe Marusak: 704-358-5067, @jmarusak
This story was originally published June 1, 2016 at 2:09 PM with the headline "Rabid fox attacks child at family picnic near Maiden."