Kid bitten by fox in southeastern Arizona, treated for rabies exposure

PHOENIX — A 9-year-old boy was bitten by a gray fox at Chiricahua National Monument and was treated for possible rabies exposure on Wednesday.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department said in a statement that the boy and his mother just got out of their car at the monument when he was bit.

The boy was bit on the left calf, the department said.

The fox was reportedly acting aggressively before the attack.

Officials were on scene searching for the fox.

“Avoid contact with and don’t approach wildlife that is behaving abnormally,” Regional Supervisor Raul Vega said in a statement.

“If you believe that you see a rabid animal, call us immediately at 1-623-236-7201. In addition, avoid any dead wildlife that you may find, and keep your pets away from them as well.”

Domestic pets should also be regularly vaccinated for rabies. If owners think their pet has been exposed to rabies or injured by wildlife, Vega said a veterinarian should be consulted.

Rabies is most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. It is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.

It can be prevented with the prompt use of an anti-rabies vaccine and rabies immune globulin.

The principal rabies hosts in Arizona are bats, skunks and foxes. They each carry their own distinct rabies strains.

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