Michelle Danos was one of several victims of a rabid-fox attack over the weekend on a Texas hiking trail. Danos was on the trails in the Purgatory Creek Natural Area near San Marcos when a fox approached her. At first, the fox approached slowly, but then, it attacked. The animal bit her repeatedly before she was able to get away. Unfortunately, the rabid fox is responsible for no fewer than four attacks on humans on the same trail that day.
“While it’s not common for foxes to attack people, it happened four times on one trail in Texas over the weekend,” wrote local news. Danos describes the attack in detail in the news interview, saying the fox was relentless in attacking her, even when she tried to run and threw it to the ground several times.
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Danos says she screamed for help, but no help came. She finally found other hikers along the trail, and they said there was already an ambulance for her in the parking lot. That’s when Danos said she realized she wasn’t the first person the fox had attacked that day. And she wouldn’t be the last.
How Does Rabies Affect Wildlife and Humans?
Wild animals affected by rabies often become uncharacteristically aggressive. When bitten by a rabid animal, humans must seek care immediately. The Mayo Clinic says: “Once a rabies infection is established, there’s no effective treatment. Though a small number of people have survived rabies, the disease usually causes death. For that reason, if you think you’ve been exposed to rabies, you must get a series of shots to prevent the infection from taking hold.”
Thankfully, Danos received medical care, including rabies vaccines, quickly.
Watch an interview with Danos about the rabid fox attacks here:
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