A woman was mauled by a rabid wild fox outside her Massachusetts home before the vicious creature lunged at the police officers who came to her rescue. The victim, who has not been named publicly, was bitten on the leg and ankle on the steps in front of her Worcester apartment on April 3 just after 7 a.m.
Attack Details
The wild fox was seen running out of a nearby wooded area and darting between parked cars before it pounced on her, according to video obtained by WHDH. She ran around in a circle, trying to shake the deranged animal off, but the fox fought back and grabbed her purse. The woman struggled with the ferocious fox, but the powerful creature pulled her to the ground and bit her on the hand. The fall also injured her back.
Neighbors Intervene
Neighbors rushed to help her, attacking the creature with a rake and trapping it under a recycling bin, the outlet reported. Police arrived on the scene and shot the fox twice, but officer-worn body camera footage showed that it ran out from under the bin and lunged at them. 'Oh, there he is, get me the bite pole,' an officer was heard saying. 'There he is, get the pole out of the back.'
Fox Euthanized
The fox was subdued and later euthanized by Animal Control officers. Test results that came back this week confirmed the fox was rabid. The victim was taken to a hospital immediately after the attack and vaccinated for rabies. The bites were deep enough to draw blood, police said. A neighbor who rushed to the woman's aid was also taken to the hospital as a precaution because she had blood on her.
Victim's Recovery
The victim told WHDH she still has soreness in her back but is already feeling better otherwise. The woman, describing the terrifying experience to officers on the scene, said she believes that God protected her that day. 'I thought he would've killed me,' she told police, as shown in the body camera footage. 'He was very, very strong.' An officer, in an apparent bid to calm the frightened woman, replied: 'Well, he's gone now. We got him.'
Preventive Measures
City officials have begun to chop down trees near her apartment in a bid to prevent future incidents. The woman, however, feels that further action should be taken to address litter and garbage cans on the sidewalk, which may attract wildlife.
