An elderly man saved himself when he beat to death a rabid fox that was on his deck. The man had heard about recent rabies attacks and immediately began hitting the animal with a broken plank.
A Fight For Survival
Robert Galen, from Brunswick, Maine was repairing his deck and picking up a broken plank when he saw a fox staring at him just two feet away. Robert then proceeded to beat the animal and at one point was knocked into the bushes during the struggle with the fox.
The 10-pound fox had bit the elderly man's foot but didn't break the skin. Robert continued to beat the fox and eventually killed it. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention came and collected the animal and tested it for rabies. The results came back positive. Robert stated that he heard of two residents that were attacked by a rabid fox a week prior to his incident.
Even though that fox was killed, Robert didn't want to take any chances. The elderly man also stated that any fox, rabbit, or skunk that comes within a foot and a half of a human is "abnormal." The 95-year-old continued that he was glad that he didn't kill an innocent animal and he did not have to be treated for rabies.
Others Weren't As Lucky
The others that were attacked by a rabid fox were 72-year-old Barbara Senecal and her neighbor. According to the Barbara, she was walking to her mailbox on Jun. 17when she spotted the fox on the other side of the road.
Barabara thought the fox would run away but the fox instead came towards her. The fox, that Barabra claimed looked vicious and was on to her, knocked Barbara off of her feet. The elderly woman began to scream when the fox bit her on her leg. Barbara's neighbor heard her scream and came to her rescue by running out his trailer and grabbing the fox off her.
The 72-year-old was able to run into her house and call 911 for help. A police came and shot and killed the fox. Barbara and her neighbor both tested positive for rabies and have received rabies shots.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2015, wild animals account for 92.4 percent of reported rabies cases. Of those reported incidences, foxes are among the most reported.
