Crime & Safety
Rabies-Infected Fox Attacked 2 in West Side
A fox that attacked two men in separate incidents Saturday tested positive for rabies after it was destroyed, Bethlehem police say.
A fox that attacked two men in separate incidents in Bethlehem on Saturday tested positive for the rabies virus after it was destroyed and its body was shipped to the Pennsylvania Department of Health for testing.
The first attack happened shortly before 8 a.m. in the vicinity of W. Market Street and Central Boulevard. The man was not hurt. After escaping, he called police, who found the animal but were not able to put it down.
Find out what's happening in Bethlehemwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
About 1 p.m., the fox attacked and bit a man who was walking his dog in the area of the Oak Hollow Apartments. He was able to escape and get himself to Lehigh Valley Hospital–Muhlenberg for treatment, police said.
Bethlehem Police officers who responded to the area spotted the fox, and it began to bite at one of the city police cars, police said.
Find out what's happening in Bethlehemwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
An animal control officer destroyed it because of its extremely aggressive behavior, police said. The blog post did not indicate how it was destroyed.
Bethlehem Police reminded the public to be alert for animals behaving in an unusual way and to contact police at 610-865-7187 if they see that occurring.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
