Woman was bit by rabid fox, so she killed it with her bare hands

Tammy DuBois enjoys being open air at her South Jersey residence.

So on July 18 she was on her approach out within the yard to go to the backyard, however first she checked a hen feeder close to the home.

There was a rustling within the bushes, however it did not strike her as that odd. It is likely to be a stray cat or perhaps a canine, she thought. Animals which are usually deserted by their house owners in Pittsgrove Township’s Parvin State Park close to her household’s property.

It was then she noticed it. A fox ran from the bushes and jumped up towards her leg, your entire time making a barking-type sound usually heard from foxes — “yip, yip, yip, yip, yip.”

“I just backed up,” DuBois, 52, recounted. “It was going crazy, making noises and its mouth was moving.”

The fox circled round DuBois and started its assault, biting her with its sharp enamel on the calf of her proper leg. Then it bit her once more, its enamel puncturing her pores and skin a second time.

Trying to flee, DuBois ran up the steps of her porch to the home door.

The fox adopted. As she tried to open the door to get inside, the fox started gnawing sideways on her already wounded leg.

DuBois mentioned she normally had some backyard instruments on the porch, however there have been none this present day she may use to fend off the vicious animal.

With the animal tearing at her flesh she reached down and grabbed its snout with her left hand holding it tightly shut. With her proper hand she grabbed the fox’s neck and squeezed.

“It was biting at my leg, I had to do something.”

The fox struggled to get free, however quickly went limp.

“I couldn’t do anything else to get it away from me,” she mentioned. “I don’t like to kill anything.”

DuBois tossed the fox from the porch and made it inside, then alerted a neighbor to warn them about what had simply occurred.

She cleaned and bandaged her badly-bleeding leg and known as her husband, Bob, who took her to an area hospital. DuBois was aided and started a two-week collection of rabies therapy.

An animal management officer retrieved the fox sending it to the state for testing. The constructive rabies discovering was obtained Monday.

Salem County Spokeswoman Brenda P. Banks Tuesday mentioned the DuBois rabies case was the third confirmed within the county this 12 months. The different two concerned rabid animals which bit different animals in Quinton and Upper Pittsgrove.

DuBois’ case is the one one this 12 months during which a human was attacked.

A look at rabid animals in N.J.

So far this 12 months in New Jersey, by means of June 30, 72 terrestrial rabies instances have have been confirmed, the state Department of Health mentioned. Those included 49 raccoons , 13 skunks, 9 cats and one groundhog. There have been additionally 9 confirmed rabid bats by means of June 30, the statistics present.

The fox that bit DuBois would seemingly be the primary fox confirmed as rabid this 12 months within the state.

Banks, mentioned the county health division at all times teaches the general public to steer clear of animals they don’t seem to be acquainted with, particularly wild animals. If they’re bitten, they need to search medical care instantly.

Signs that an animal could have rabies embody disorientation, foaming on the mouth and typically lethargy. If a nocturnal animal equivalent to a fox, raccoon or opossum is seen out through the day, that will also be a crimson flag one thing could also be improper with the animal.

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DuBois’ daughter, Laura, spoke of her mom’s strength in dealing with the incident.

“I’m just so proud of my mom for reacting the way she did,” Laura DuBois mentioned. “I don’t know what I would have done.”

Laura DuBois mentioned as she drove to see her mom after her hospital therapy, her mother had some phrases of recommendation for her.

“She told me to stay in the car (when I got there)” in case there was one other fox lurking across the residence.

Tammy DuBois has lived on Almond Road for 16 years and grew up within the space. She says she by no means had an encounter like this earlier than.

“I am always aware of my surroundings. This just caught me off guard.”

Bill Gallo Jr. could also be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips