HEALTH NOTE - Beware those Foxes

Beloved,

I wish above all things that thou mayest...be in health...

3 John 1:2

"A fox trotting across a field at noon is one thing. A fox that closes the distance to your front steps, stares you down, or circles your yard in broad daylight is a different story, and experts say that is when you need to treat the encounter as a genuine health and safety issue.

Rabies is the main reason to treat a fearless fox as more than a

curiosity, because the disease can turn a normally wary animal into one that walks straight toward people. Health officials describe how Animals that have rabies tend to show behavior atypical of their species, and They can act aggressively or appear strangely tame, which is why Signs like staggering, drooling, or unprovoked biting are taken so seriously.

Fox and Rabies explains that once clinical symptoms appear, the disease is effectively fatal and that Originally, rabies cycles in wildlife reservoirs like foxes and skunks before spilling over to pets and people.

It is commonly thought that a fox seen out in the daytime must be rabid, but Red Fox FAQs that pose the question “I have seen foxes in my neighborhood during the day. Should I be worried?” explain that the answer is usually no, because healthy foxes may hunt, nap, or move dens in daylight when they feel secure. Those same Red Fox FAQs stress that while daytime sightings are increasingly routine, it

is not common for a healthy fox to approach people closely or ignore obvious attempts to scare it away, which is where concern should begin.

Wildlife specialists also point to specific behaviors that cross the line from quirky to alarming. A Humane Wildlife Control Society note on foxes acting odd lists Unfavorable weather conditions and food shortages as reasons a hungry fox might wander at unusual hours, but it adds that When a fox approaches humans and does not show any fear, Unusual calmness, which is the opposite of the normal skittish response, should trigger suspicion of illness.

Practical Rule: a fox that keeps its distance and flees when noticed is likely behaving normally, while one that closes the gap, stares, or circles people in daylight fits the pattern described." 

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