Man Shoots Fox Suspected Of Having Rabies Near Berlin; Two Raccoons Recently Tested Positive

BERLIN – While a fox killed just outside Berlin is only considered a suspected rabies case, the health department confirmed two raccoons did test positive for the disease last month.

In September, a raccoon located off Bayside Road in Snow Hill and a raccoon located on Cropper Island Road in Newark tested positive for rabies, according to the Worcester County Health Department. Just last week, a local resident killed a fox that appeared rabid near where West Street meets Evans Road in Berlin.

“As it was running at us it had its teeth bared,” said Garry Moore, whose business is located on Evans Road just past the railroad tracks. “It was broad daylight.”

According to Moore, his business partner saw a disoriented, sickly fox at the back of their property last week. Seeing vultures circling the next day, Moore, armed with a shotgun, went to look for the fox, which he assumed had died. Before he found a body, however, he was confronted by a fox.

“It started running toward us,” Moore said.

He fired a shot off into the distance to scare the animal. When that didn’t deter it, he says he shot at it twice more, eventually killing it when it was no more than 15 yards away. He shared news of the incident on social media in an effort to remind people of the dangers of rabies.

“It should be taken seriously,” he said.

While Moore contacted the health department about the incident, the fox was not tested for rabies.

“We received a report of a possible case, but the animal did not meet the criteria for testing, as it had no known contact with people or pets,” said Travis Brown, public information officer for the health department.

The fox has been listed as a suspected rabies case on the department’s website however. So far in 2017 there have been nine confirmed cases of rabies in Worcester County, beginning with an opossum in March. Seven of the confirmed cases involved raccoons while one involved a cat in Snow Hill.

Brown says that if area residents see an animal behaving in a “threatening or obviously sick manner” or if their pet interacts with such an animal, they should contact their local police department immediately.

“Prevent further contact by keeping pets and people away,” Brown said. “If a pet or person has already had contact, it is important that the rabies suspect animal be obtained (safely) for rabies testing. If a pet has had contact, do not touch the pet barehanded.”

If contact has occurred the health department should be called.

“Pet owners should keep their pets currently vaccinated against rabies,” Brown said. “Citizens should also make every effort to discourage wildlife from visiting their property. Pet food should not be left outside and trash cans should be secured.”

A variety of information about rabies, as well as a list of recent cases, is available on the department’s website, www.worcesterhealth.org.

About The Author: Charlene Sharpe

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Charlene Sharpe has been with The Dispatch since 2014. A graduate of Stephen Decatur High School and the University of Richmond, she spent seven years with the Delmarva Media Group before joining the team at The Dispatch.