A fox involved in a Little Falls incident with two pedestrians has tested positive for rabies. Officials were unsure whether it was the fox that bit a pedestrian, and another walker reported that a fox took his shoe. Officials are now urging anyone who may have crossed paths with the rabies-positive animal to call the Clifton Health Department right away. The positive result came back Monday, and the township has since put out an alert for residents and pet owners.
According to Patch, the animal was in contact with two people, one of whom required medical attention. Patch reports it was spotted on Turnberry Road, East Main Street, Alida Street, Sindle Avenue and Montclair Avenue. The animal was also reported near the Tulip Garden Apartment Complex.
The positive result was confirmed by the New Jersey Department of Health on Monday, according to TAPinto. The township and the Clifton Health Department then issued an alert confirming it.
From Apartment Complex Sightings to a Dead Fox
The timeline began last Wednesday, when Clifton Animal Control received a report about the fox near the Tulip Garden complex, and multiple residents reported seeing it, TAPinto reports. By Thursday, Little Falls police reported that the fox had contacted two pedestrians near Turnberry Road. Animal control took the animal into custody that day, and it was submitted for rabies testing.
On Friday, police confirmed the fox was dead, per the same account. TAPinto notes that officials had not said whether either pedestrian was bitten or scratched.
An earlier report from NJ.com described a different version of events. A pedestrian walking on Turnberry Road was bitten on the calf, and animal control did not believe the fox was rabid at that point. Another person removed a shoe to swat at the animal, and the fox ran off with it.
It is not established that the fox in that account is the same one that later tested positive. NJ.com also noted that fox sightings are common in Little Falls, but the animals tend to flee from people.
What Officials Want Residents to Do
Anyone who believes they or their pets encountered the fox should contact the Clifton Health Department immediately at 973-470-5760, officials said. Health officials also urged anyone who may have encountered the fox before it was captured to seek medical guidance. Residents who run into a sick or suspicious animal after normal business hours can call the Little Falls Police Department's non-emergency line at 973-265-0200.
Officials advised supervising young children and small pets outdoors and keeping dogs leashed. They also recommended keeping pet vaccinations current and securing garbage and other food sources that could attract animals. Residents were warned not to capture or handle wild animals themselves.
Clifton Health Officer John E. Biegel III said pets that come into contact with wild animals risk rabies exposure. In the alert, he said that “Vaccination (and licensing when required) of domestic pets, including dogs and cats, are key elements in rabies control.” Owners whose pets have been bitten by wild animals should seek veterinary help right away.
Why Doctors Don't Wait on Rabies
Rabies is a viral disease affecting the nervous system and is generally spread through the bite of an infected animal. Exposure can also occur when infected saliva enters broken skin or contacts the eyes, nose or mouth. The disease is almost always fatal once symptoms develop, but prompt treatment can prevent infection, which is why people who may have been exposed are told to seek medical attention immediately.
The New Jersey Department of Health says the virus spreads through exposure to tissue, saliva or any body fluids from an infected animal, with a bite, a scratch or another break in the skin posing the highest risk. State guidance on reporting animal bites adds that there is no safe observation period for wild animals, and that foxes may carry the virus in their saliva for a week or longer before showing signs of illness.
Signs in animals can include unusual behavior, excessive drooling, difficulty swallowing, trouble moving or paralysis. A wild animal that seems unusually friendly or sick may be infected, according to the township's guidance.
Fox Dens Near the Peckman River
The Township of Little Falls reported that active fox dens have been identified near the Peckman River. Residents are advised not to approach or feed wildlife. Feeding is prohibited under Little Falls ordinance Chapter 19-46, and violations may result in a citation.
