An early morning walk turned bloody for a Worcester woman on Friday after a fox attacked her, sending her to a local hospital for treatment. Neighbors and a family member managed to pin the animal under a recycling bin until police and animal control arrived, and officials say the woman’s injuries were not life threatening. The encounter followed an earlier run-in with what authorities believe was the same fox in the same neighborhood and has prompted an active investigation.
Two encounters reported in the same neighborhood
Just after 12:30 a.m. Friday, Worcester police received a report that a fox had tried to bite someone in a wooded area near Gibbs Street, though that person was not hurt. Several hours later, around 7:15 a.m., authorities believe the same animal bit a woman near Esther Street, first on the ankle and then on both hands, breaking the skin and drawing blood, according to Boston 25 News.
Neighbors held fox under a bin until responders arrived
Neighbors and a family member trapped the fox beneath a recycling bin and kept it there until police and animal control reached the scene, local TV coverage reports. A neighbor told reporters the fox “lunge[d]” at the victim as she tried to fend it off, and the woman was swinging her purse to get the animal away. The station also reports that the injured woman received rabies shots at the hospital as a precaution. (WHDH.)
Carcass taken for rabies testing
Animal control contained and euthanized the fox, and officials said the animal’s remains were taken to Webster Square Animal Clinic to be forwarded for rabies testing. Worcester police and animal control remained on the scene investigating the two encounters and are urging residents to report aggressive wildlife to authorities. (Boston 25 News.)
Rabies risk and what residents should do
Because the bites broke the skin, health workers treated the patient with rabies shots as a precaution, and public health guidance treats these kinds of exposures seriously. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends washing bite wounds immediately, seeking medical attention, and discussing post-exposure prophylaxis with a provider when there is a possible exposure to a wild mammal. A video of the encounter has been shared by local outlets and is available through regional news coverage. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; CBS News Boston.)
Police are asking residents to keep their distance from wild animals, avoid handling injured wildlife, and call Worcester Animal Control or 911 if they see aggressive behavior. Officials say anyone who is bitten should clean the wound and seek urgent medical evaluation so clinicians and health departments can assess rabies risk and determine next steps.
