Young Girl Bit by Rabid Fox in Upstate New York

A reportedly rabid fox was euthanized by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) after it bit a young child and attacked numerous dogs.

This isn't the first case of an aggressive fox making contact with humans in New York. Just last year in August, it was reported that a fox, which later tested positive for rabies, attacked multiple people in Rensselaer County. Here's what we know about what happened in Queensbury, NY.

A fox reportedly attacked a young girl and multiple dogs in Queensbury, NY (Google maps/Byshnev via Canva)

Young Girl in Upstate, NY Reportedly Bitten by Rabid Fox

The four-year-old child was reportedly rushed to the hospital by her mother after the young girl was reportedly bitten by an aggressive fox. While diseases like rabies often cause animals to act out of character, what the fox did next sounds like something out of a horror movie.

A rabid fox bit a young girl in upstate, NY (Byshnev via Canva)

Aggressive Fox in Queensbury, NY

It wasn't long before the fox ran into another potential victim just blocks away from the original incident: a domestic dog. The encounter was caught on video after a woman saw the fox approaching her dachshund. After escaping indoors, the woman reported that the fox seemingly tried to gain entrance to her home by pawing at the door and pacing in front of the house.

Read More: Rabid Fox Bites Upstate New York Kids, Elderly Woman, Disappears

By then, NYS DEC officers were already responding to the scene, and were able to find the fox in a nearby yard. Residents reported hearing gunshots as officers made the decision to put down the rabid animal.

The video above shows the New York fox attack from 2023. The scary footage shows exactly how aggressive and unrelenting an animal infected with rabies can be. If you believe you have come in contact with a rabid animal, contact the NYS DEC and seek medical attention immediately.

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Animals with rabies can exhibit symptoms such as aggression and foaming at the mouth. While animals like foxes, raccoons, dogs, and humans can all contract rabies, animals like the opossum famously cannot. See which animals are most commonly infected below.

Animals in Which Rabies is Most Commonly Found

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in North America rabies is most commonly found in bats, skunks, raccoons, foxes, and mongoose. It is also found in cats, cattle, and dogs. The CDC says that rabid bats have been found in every state except for Hawaii. Rabid mongoose have been found in Puerto Rico.

Rabies is easily transmitted from animals to other animals, including human beings. Human cases are rare in the United States, but deadly if not caught in time.

Gallery Credit: Kristine Bellino