• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Eastwick Press Info
  • Contact Us

The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

  • Community Calendar
  • School News
  • Sports Outdoors
  • Obituaries
  • Letters & Comments
  • Church Directory

Rabid Fox Attacks Three People In New Lebanon

January 25, 2013 By eastwickpress

by Thaddeus Flint
A fox which attacked three people in New Lebanon has tested positive for rabies.
The attack occurred on Saturday, January 12, near the junction of West Street and Route 20. At around 6:30 pm Parks Maintenance Supervisor Scott Larabee returned to his home and was set upon by the animal.
[private]“I got out of my vehicle, and the thing just attacked my feet,” said Larabee. “It didn’t actually bite me but it latched on to my shoes.” Larabee kicked the creature off, but in a few seconds “it was right back on me.” It chased him around his truck until Larabee managed to get up on his porch. The fox then ran off down the road and later, around 8:30 pm, attacked two of Larabee’s neighbors, this time actually going up onto their porch.
According to Town Clerk, Colleen Teal, after taking “chunks out of boots,” the fox was “destroyed” by a resident. “It was pretty aggressive,” said Teal, who added that residents need not fear legal repercussions from defending themselves or property from attacking animals. The Columbia County Health Department immediately tested the dead fox, later identified as a Grey Fox, for rabies. Within 24 hours the results were back. “It was definitely rabid,” said Teal
The Health Department has advised Columbia County residents to use precaution if an animal is behaving abnormally, is unusually aggressive or friendly. All suspected animals, dead or alive, should be reported to the Town’s Animal Control Officer, Wes Powell, or the Columbia County Department of Health.
If someone is bitten by a rabid-acting animal, every effort should be made to locate the animal and have it captured for testing. Animals with a high rabies risk include raccoons, bats, skunks and foxes.
Rabies Also In Rensselaer County
According to the New York State Department of Health, from January to October in 2012, rabies was confirmed in six animals in Columbia County (one cat, one skunk, two bats, one fox and one raccoon) and in two animals in Rensselaer County (one fox and one raccoon).
Residents of both Counties are advised to make sure their pets have been properly vaccinated. The next free rabies clinic in Columbia County will be held at the Town Highway Garage on Maple Lane in Ancramdale on March 16. In Rensselaer County, the next clinic is at Mink’s Firehouse, 959 Broadway, Rensselaer on February 19.

New York State map of rabies incidents as of October 2012.
New York State map of rabies incidents as of October 2012.

[/private]

Filed Under: Front Page, Local News, New Lebanon, Rensselaer County

Primary Sidebar

    News Categories

    Archives

        Footer

        Local News

        Brunswick Town Board Highlights

        by Denise Wright The March 13th Brunswick Town Board meeting was filled with conversation and resulted in the passing of two resolutions. During the Building and Codes report, 25 building property inspections and 22 follow-up complaints were reported for the month of February. The State Uniform Code Administration Compliance Report has been prepared. The historian […]

        March 21st, 2025 Edition

        View this week’s entire newspaper: You must be logged in to view this article.

        Stephentown Board Highlights

        by Denise Wright The Stephentown Board’s St. Patrick’s Day meeting began with a moment of silence to honor former town board member Gerry Robinson. Robinson focused on “improving local service opportunities, protecting Stephentown’s unique rural environment, and increasing local jobs and amenities by encouraging economic development appropriate to the size, atmosphere, and well-being of our […]

        School News

        Berlin School Board Appoints New Superintendent

        Submitted by BCSD Communications The Berlin Central School District Board of Education selected Mr. Kenneth Rizzo to be its next superintendent of schools, effective July 1st. Mr. Rizzo was unanimously appointed by the board at its meeting on March 6th. You must be logged in to view this article.

        Wildcats Compete at the New York State Indoor Track Championships 

        Hoosick Falls CSD Indoor Track Submitted by HFCSD Communications The Wildcats put forth a great effort at the New York State Indoor Track Championships on March 8th. The girls 4×400, consisting of Emma Waugh, Mihaly Blake, Ava Salvsevold, and Erin Conety, had a huge upset in their race. Going in as the underdogs, the girls […]

        Winter Scholar Athletes and Varsity Teams

        Brunswick CSD Submitted by Brunswick CSD Communications Brunswick CSD is proud to announce its winter Scholar Athlete sports teams for the 2024-2025 season. The school fielded seven varsity teams, including Girls Basketball, Boys Basketball, Boys Wrestling, Competitive Cheerleading, Unified Bowling, Boys Indoor Track, and Girls Indoor Track. In addition to the exciting lineup of winter […]

        Copyright © Eastwick Press · All Rights Reserved · Site by Brainspiral Technologies