Raccoon Bites Woman Walking in Park

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Image: A trail at South Run Park was temporarily closed Wednesday as animal control officers searched the park for a raccoon suspected to be rabid.

Fairfax County animal control officers are looking for a raccoon that attacked a 75-year-old woman Wednesday morning on a path near the South Run Rec Center.

The raccoon was last seen running into South Run Park, on the Fairfax County Parkway south of Burke Lake Park. Police and animal control officials said it’s unknown whether the animal is rabid, but aggressive tendencies such as those exhibited Wednesday are a sign of rabies.

More on Patch: Police: Rabid Raccoon Attacks Man in Kings Park

The woman was walking along a paved path near an overpass of Lee Chapel Road when she stopped to take a photograph of the raccoon, according to the Fairfax County police.

The animal suddenly charged her, and she sustained bites on her leg, hands and forearms, police said. She was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Officers and park personnel are searching for the raccoon; the trail nearby is temporarily closed.

Here’s more information from Fairfax County on the rabies virus, exposure prevention tips, and what to do if an animal bites.