WATCH: Wild Video of Ithaca, New York Woman Being Attacked by Rabid Fox
According to a report by Nick Regina of SI Live, an Ithaca woman was attacked by a rabid fox in her front yard with home surveillance video to prove it.
The fox quickly approached the woman while she was turned the other way talking on her cell phone and latched on to her leg. Despite kicking the fox repeatedly trying to shake it loose, the rabid animal continued to attack the woman. At one point the fox even latched on to her arm as she tried to fling it away.
The woman landed a few solid shots on the fox, which refused to give up the attack until a man saw what was happening and ran over with a large stick to fight the fox off. According to Regina's report, the woman's cousin said the fox was eventually caught, tested positive for rabies, and euthanized. The woman was not seriously injured after the attack but it was certainly a frightening moment.
According to a report from Kathy Whyte of WNBF, the Chemung County health department recently advised residents to be alert near wildlife and vaccinate their pets against rabies. The alert advised pet owners not to handle their pets if they suspect their pet has been infected by rabies and to keep a safe distance from wildlife, especially if they seem to be acting strangely.
In this case, the fox went well out of its way to attack the Ithaca woman, sneaking up from the side of the yard while the woman was facing the other way. So New York residents should be aware that rabid animals are extremely dangerous and can be rather aggressive.