Hollis mom pins rabid fox after daughter, 4, bitten in backyard
May 16—A mother pinned down a rabid fox after it bit her 4-year-old daughter in the backyard of their Hollis home, police said.
At 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Hollis police and EMS were dispatched to a home on Truell Road for a report of a 4-year-old child bitten by a fox. The mother of the bitten child was able to "physically hold the fox down, which prevented further injury to the child or bystanders," Hollis Police Chief Brendan LaFlamme said in a statement.
Upon arrival, Hollis police took control of the fox, "which showed obvious signs of illness and aggression," LaFlamme said.
The fox was euthanized at the scene, and taken by conservation officers with New Hampshire Fish and Game for testing. The fox tested positive for rabies, Hollis police said.
The mother and child received medical treatment and are expected to be OK, police said.
LaFlamme said his department has received "multiple calls from the public" regarding the incident.
"Some people are critical of the actions of the Hollis officers who euthanized this animal," LaFlamme said in a statement. "As chief of police, I stand behind the officers' actions. They acted quickly and professionally to make the scene safe so that the injured four year old could get the treatment that she needed.
"Their action prevented any further injury to people and animals, slowed the spread of this disease, and ended the animal's suffering."
