Fox attacks people on San Marcos trails, says city
Possibly rabid fox attacks people in San Marcos
A fox attacked multiple people on Sunday, May 11, on trails in the Purgatory Creek area, says the city of San Marcos.
SAN MARCOS, Texas - The city of San Marcos is investigating reports of fox attacks on city trails.
Recent fox attacks on city trails
What we know:
The city says that a fox had reportedly attacked people on Sunday, May 11, near the Beatrice, Dante and Ripheus trails in the Purgatory Creek Natural Area.
Four people are receiving medical care and two were bitten.
Animal Protection officers say the victims are undergoing treatment and foxes rarely attack humans.
The unusual behavior raises concerns that the animal may be sick, potentially with the rabies virus. Rabies is a deadly virus that spreads through an animal’s saliva and could be deadly if not treated before symptoms occur.
Officers have been searching for the fox.
What you can do:
While the area remains open, the city is urging residents and visitors to avoid these trails until further notice.
Anyone who has had contact with the fox is urged to call Animal Services at 512-805-2655.
READ MORE: Rabies: What is it, how it’s transmitted, and do you need a vaccine
The city is also urging residents to make sure their pets are up-to-date on their vaccinations. For more information, click here.
Park goers react to fox attack
Local perspective:
Park goers spoke with one of the victims about the attack ahead of entering the trail at their own risk.
"He fought with it like kicking it, punching it for like four minutes straight. He said he came up to us, and he told us he had to get rushed to the hospital. He had like 7 rabies shots, so it was pretty crazy. It kind of detoured us, but we went all the way here. So, we were like, let’s go to the convenience store and get some pepper spray. We got a knife too, just in case," says trail goer Abidariel Sanchez.
"We saw a bunch of animal control vehicles up ahead, and we didn't see any foxes or anything," Sanchez added.
Mountain lion spotted in San Marcos
Officials in San Marcos are warning residents about a mountain lion spotted near a trail last week.
"I usually always carry a knife or pepper spray on me, but usually bear spray, but I forgot it at home this trip the one time I forgot there was a rabid fox out here," says trail goer, Triton Guiote. "Definitely don't come at night and have some sort of protection gun, knife, pepper spray."
Trail goers also said this is not the first sighting of a wild animal.
"I heard that a couple of weeks ago there was a warning about a mountain lion, but I haven’t seen anything. I have been biking up here a few times. I mean, I have just seen like regular wildlife, raccoons, squirrels and stuff like that, but nothing like a fox," says Guiote.
The Source: Information in this report comes from the city of San Marcos and interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Tan Radford