The fox was eventually taken down but not before wreaking havoc on a neighborhood. All the victims received their rabies shots and health officials say they'll be fine. But what they went through sounds like something out of a nightmare.
“He was hanging from my wrist,” remembered Heidi Masi, who was bit multiple times by the rabid fox.
Heidi Masi's Saturday started off innocent enough. The Barre, VT woman was visiting her sister, Megan, on Northfield St. in Montpelier when they spotted an animal across the street: “That's not a cat that's a fox!"
She says the family, including many small children, ran inside. When they sped up, so did the fox.
“My aunt had said get in the house! I ran like there was no tomorrow because you don't want to be bit by stuff like that,” said Gino Masi, Heidi Masi’s son.
In all, Heidi says she was bitten 4 different times, from her chest to her leg, all while holding her 3 - year old nephew, Ray, in her arms.
Eventually the family got inside, but the fox wasn't done.
Less than 1 hour after police responded to Heidi's injuries, police received a call from another woman claiming she was bitten by the fox on Derby Drive about a block away.
He made his rounds through the neighborhood, biting 4 people and attempting to bite 3 others, including children.
Someone eventually killed the fox. The animal tested positive for rabies.
“When we put this animal down and got it tested and it was positive, we knew that there were a number of people that needed the rabies prophylaxis,” said Dr. Robert Johnson, Vermont’s State Public Health Veterinarian. “They've all started the series and they'll all be safe."
Dr. Johnson says attacks like these are not common but they've happened several times in the past 2 decades.
Now, in this neighborhood, the fear is that where there's one rabid fox, there may be more.
“I was really scared because I have a 6 month old and an almost 3 year old and a dog and we're outside all the time,” said Emily LeFebvre who lives near the attacks. “So it's really concerning that something hazardous could just be lingering around our yard."
Rabies takes a few weeks to show symptoms in pets.
If you have any concerns, you can call 1-800 4-RABIES (1-800-472-2437) in Vermont.
(My Champlain Valley FOX44 & ABC22 - June 24, 2014)
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