Joseph Perkins, Chief of Police
99 N Main St.
Middleborough, MA 02346
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: ben@jgpr.net
Middleborough Police Locate Fox Believed to be Responsible for Attacks on Two People
MIDDLEBOROUGH — Middleborough Police and Animal Control report that a fox that was believed to have attacked two people on Sunday and Monday was located and killed early Tuesday morning.
The fox was located by a citizen shortly after midnight Tuesday on Plymouth Street, just north of the Kampground of America (KOA) entrance.
The animal was in a ditch on the side of the road and appeared sickly and ornery. A determination was made that the fox represented an immediate threat to public safety and an officer discharged his service weapon, striking and killing the animal. This is standard procedure when there is an animal that is deemed dangerous or threatening toward the public.
The fox was then taken into the custody of the Middleborough Animal Control Officer so that it can be taken to a state lab where it will be tested for rabies.
At approximately 7:10 a.m. yesterday, Middleborough Police received a 911 call reporting that a woman was bitten by a fox at the KOA campground, 438 Plymouth St.
On Sunday, at approximately 9:45 p.m., police received a report from residents on Muttock Lane where a woman was attacked by a fox.
Both women were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Muttock Lane is less than a half-mile away from the KOA campground. Both attacks were believed to have been carried out by a single animal.
Middleborough Animal Control, Massachusetts Environmental Police and the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife searched throughout the day Monday in the area of Route 44 near Plymouth Street.
“Given that the animal had attacked two people, it was considered to be threat to the public and had to be killed in order for it to be tested for rabies and other diseases,” Chief Perkins said. “I want to thank the many residents who reached out yesterday in helping us locate the fox.”
Anyone who may have come into contact with a fox recently or anyone who was attacked or bitten by a fox is urged to seek medical attention.
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