"It was bad and scary," woman attacked by rabid fox in Raleigh

A Raleigh woman is recovering after being attacked by a rabid fox during her morning walk. WRAL spoke with local experts on tips to protect yourself.
Posted 6/17/2025, 3:32:52 AM Updated 6/17/2025, 12:58:06 PM

ELSE WAS HURT.

NEW TONIGHT, A TERRIFYING

ENCOUNTER WOMAN IS ATTACKED

BY A RABID FOX DURING A MORNING

WALK.

>> TAKE A LOOK AT THAT CIRCLE

RIGHT THERE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF

YOUR SCREEN. THAT'S A RING

DOORBELL CAMERA VIDEO. THIS

HAPPENED SATURDAY MORNING IN

RALEIGH, THE BUREAU'S AARON

THOMAS WENT TO THE

NEIGHBORHOOD, SPOKE TO THE

WOMAN'S FAMILY AS WELL AS A

VETERINARIAN.

>> A ROUTINE MORNING WALK ON

THIS SIDEWALK TURNED INTO A

NIGHTMARE FOR ONE WOMAN WHO

WAS ATTACKED BY A WILD FOX

CONFIRMED TO HAVE RABIES.

WE WANT TO WARN YOU WHAT YOU'RE

ABOUT TO HEAR AND SEE MAY BE

DISTURBING TO WATCH.

>> YOU CAN'T SEE MUCH BUT WHAT

YOU HEAR SOUNDS UNPLEASANT AS

MADDEN'S CAN BASICALLY IN THIS

SCARY FOR COOLEY'S

MOTHER-IN-LAW WHO DEALT WITH A

WILD ANIMAL ATTACKING HER.

THE FOX WOULDN'T LIKE GO TO A

HOLDING THE HEAD OF THE FOG.

WITH ONE HAND.

>> AND THAT AND I KNOW THE

OTHER HAND TO TRY TO KEEP IT

FROM SCRATCH. YOU KNOW, BY AND

THE FIGHT, A RALEIGH ANIMAL

CONTROL OFFICER TESTS AT THE

FOX. THAT WAS LATER CONFIRMED

TO HAVE RABIES.

>> DR TARA HARRISON, BUT THE

NC STATE'S COLLEGE OF

VETERINARY MEDICINE SAYS PEOPLE

SHOULD SEEK CARE WITHIN.

24 HOURS OF INFECTION FOR

PEOPLE.

>> WHAT YOU WOULD NEED TO DO IS

GO TO THE DOCTOR AND THEY HAVE

THE HUMAN IMMUNOGLOBULIN.

SO IT'S BASICALLY A TREATMENT

THAT WOULD GO RIGHT AT THE SITE

OF YOUR BITE AND THEN YOU WOULD

GET THE RABIES VACCINE THAT

BITE VICTIM NOW RECOVERING AT

HOME. HER PHYSICAL WOUNDS WILL

TAKE TIME TO HEAL.

>> BUT THE FEAR OVER RABBIT

WILD ANIMALS IN THIS

NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> LINGERS. AND THEN YOU SEE

ANY CARBON MARKETS.

>> YOU KNOW, WALK AWAY FROM

IT. YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT

DIRECTION. THE LAW, YOU KNOW,

CAUSE SOMEBODY AND I WANT TO

ACKNOWLEDGE TO APPROACH IT.

ALL RIGHT. YOU KNOW, EVEN TRIED

TO MAKE CONTACT WAITING ANYWAY,

WAKE COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALS

URGE ANYONE TO STAY AWAY FROM

WILD ANIMALS THAT THEY'RE NOT

AWARE OF.

>> THEY ALSO SAY IT'S A GOOD

CHANCE FOR YOU TO MAKE SURE

THAT YOUR PETS ARE UP-TO-DATE

ON RABIES. VACCINATIONS

REPORTING IN RALEIGH FOR THE