Officials: Rabid fox attacked Catawba Co. resident

CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — Officials in Catawba County confirmed the county's first case of rabies in 2014 after they said a fox attacked a citizen in northeast Hickory earlier this month.

Hickory Animal Control officers were called to the Springs Road area shortly after 11 p.m. on July 6 after the fox attacked. The animal was collected by officers and its remains were sent to the North Carolina Public Health Laboratory for rabies testing.

The North Carolina Public Health Laboratory notified Catawba County three days later that the fox tested positive for rabies.

Animal Services wants to remind pet owners that the best way to protect your pets from rabies is to have them properly vaccinated for rabies. People should avoid contact with wild animals and be aware that one form of rabies may cause a wild animal to lose its normal fear of humans and approach or attack.

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WSOC