Fox bites man, cat, dog; steals shoe in Fairfax County

Red Fox - Vulpes vulpes, sitting up at attention, direct eye contact, a little snow in its face, tree bokeh in background(Getty Images/iStockphoto/RT-Images)

WASHINGTON — A fox is loose in Fairfax County, and it bit a man, a cat and a dog in the Alexandria area.

On Thursday night, Animal Protection responded to a report of a man bit by a fox on the 2300 block of William and Mary Drive. Fairfax County police said that after biting the man, the fox attacked a cat that was under a car. The cat was hurt but is believed to have survived. The fox ran away.

During the investigation another man on the 2200 block of the same street reported that his dog was in a fight with a fox. The fox attempted to bite the man but only managed to steal his shoe, as he kicked the fox away from the dog, a news release said. The man was not hurt but the dog was quarantined due to possible exposure to rabies.

Police searched the area extensively but did not find the fox. They do not know whether the fox has rabies but the animal’s aggressive tendencies are indicative of rabies, police said.

To report animal bites and sick or injured animals in Fairfax County, call Animal Protection at 703-691-2131.

Below is the area where the fox attacks happened.

Abigail Constantino

Abigail Constantino started her journalism career writing for a local newspaper in Fairfax County, Virginia. She is a graduate of American University and The George Washington University.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up