Fox Bites Dogs in The Bayshore

In the wake of two fox attacks on dogs in the Bayshore, Monmouth County officials are reminding residents to make sure their pets are properly vaccinated.

According to a news release from the Monmouth County Health Department (MCHD): In separate incidents in June, two family pets in Union Beach were bitten by a fox.

The first incident occurred in the area of Dock Street; the second attack happened later that day, around Lorillard Avenue.

The fox has not been captured or sighted by the Associated Humane Society, which provides animal control services in Union Beach.

Anyone who sees a fox is asked to report the sighting to animal control or local police.

The health department is reminding residents to make sure their pets have up-to-date rabies vaccinations.

“Protecting your pets by keeping them current on their rabies vaccine is an important buffer between wildlife rabies and human exposure,” Freeholder John P. Curley, liaison to the MCHD, said in a prepared statement. “Not only does the vaccine keep your pet safe, but it can help keep you and your family safe as well.”

In the last five years, there have been 10 confirmed cases of cats with rabies in Monmouth County.

Dogs and cats who receive an initial rabies vaccination are not considered immunized until 28 days after the vaccine has been administered. So, officials say newly vaccinated pets or those too young to receive the vaccine should not be left outdoors unattended.

“It is important to remember that cats and dogs, as well as indoor animals, should be vaccinated for rabies,” Christopher Merkel, Monmouth County’s Public Health Coordinator said in a prepared statement. “According to the latest published data by the CDC, cats continue to be the number one domestic animal confirmed with rabies: 303 cats confirmed in 2010 compared to 69 dogs.”

The county also advises residents to:

• “Avoid wildlife and animals you do not know. Keep your pet on a leash.
• Do not allow your pet to roam; it can come in contact with rabid wildlife.
• Never feed or touch wild or stray animals, especially stray cats, bats, skunks, raccoons, foxes or groundhogs.
• Teach your children that they should tell you if they were bitten or scratched by an animal.
• Call your doctor and the local health department if bitten or exposed to saliva or blood of a wild or stray animal.
• Contact your veterinarian if your pet was exposed to a bat, raccoon, skunk or other wild carnivore.”

Red and gray fox normally hunt during twilight, evening or nighttime hours, but they may be outside during the day, especially if they are foraging for food for their pups.

That is only cause for alarm if they “appear sick or diseased, are acting abnormally or are unafraid of humans.”

Most rabies cases reported to the CDC each year from New Jersey occur in wild animals like raccoons, skunks and bats.

For more information, call the Monmouth County Health Department at 732-431-7456.

Patch file photo