Rye Brook Police Warn About Aggressive Fox

RYE BROOK, NY — Rye Brook police said an aggressive fox has harassed family pets and might be sick.

Officials said the fox has been sighted near Woodland Drive, Meadowlark Road and Rockridge Road. Police are urging homeowners to keep pets inside.

Foxes are not normally aggressive so the uncharacteristically hostile behavior can be an indication that the animal might be suffering.

While reports of foxes attacking people and pets are uncommon, they aren't unprecedented in our area.

In July 2018, a fox attacked three people in Yorktown in a single weekend, according to the Westchester County Department of Health. The fox was believed to be rabid due to its aggressive behavior, health officials said at the time.

SEE ALSO: Aggressive Fox Bites 3 People In Yorktown

The first attack happened at 6 a.m. on a Saturday when a jogger was bitten by a fox. A second man was bitten in his backyard less than three hours later at 8:30 a.m. At 12:30 p.m. the following day, a woman was bitten in her backyard.

All three received preventive rabies treatment.

Unusual behavior may be the first sign of rabies in an animal. A rabid animal may become either abnormally aggressive or unusually tame. It may lose fear of people and become excited and irritable or, conversely, appear particularly passive and lethargic. Staggering and frothing at the mouth are sometimes noted.

Residents who see a stray or wild animal acting strangely should avoid contact with the animal and alert local authorities to avoid possible exposure to rabies. Residents are also advised to keep their trash can lids securely sealed and avoid leaving pet food outdoors.

Any physical contact with a wild or unfamiliar animal should be reported to a healthcare provider. All animal bites or contacts with animals suspected of having rabies must be reported to the Westchester County Department of Health at 914-813-5000, 24 hours a day.

Keeping pet rabies vaccinations up to date is also important for protection against rabies. New York State law requires dogs, cats and ferrets to be vaccinated against rabies and to receive regular booster shots. For more information, go here or call the Rabies Infoline at 914-813-5010.

Patch's Michael Woyton contributed to this report.