UPDATED: Toddler Attacked by Fox; Animal Shot, Killed by Police

UPDATED: A 3 year old girl was bitten by a fox Shabbos (Saturday) afternoon, Police confirm to TLS. The toddler was reportedly walking with another sibling on 14th Street at about 6:30 p.m. when she was attacked by the wild animal.

Hatzolah and Police were called to the scene. Upon the officers’ arrival, the animal reportedly began attacking the police, prompting them to shoot it, and killing it.

“Police Officer Matt Moore found the fox under the resident’s deck and was forced to fire his duty weapon at the fox after it tried to attack him and a Lakewood Animal Control officer,” Lakewood Police Lieutenant Steve Allaire tells TLS.

The victim was treated for scratches to her arm, leg, and lip, but it could have been worse, Allaire says.

“Injuries could have been worse to the victim, but during the initial attack an unidentified male ran over and was able to kick the fox away from the child,” says Allaire.

The young child was transported by Hatzolah to Kimball Medical Center for treatment.

“The fox died on the scene but was taken away to be tested for rabies,” Allaire said. [TLS]

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21 COMMENTS

  1. I pray it doesn’t have rabies.
    If it had been a civilian that killed the fox they would be up on animal cruelty charges- as I have seen in the Brick courtroom when a mom killed the possum that got into her living room with her toddlers. Leaves a distaste in my mouth for the animal rights activists.
    I hope that baby girl is alright.

  2. My 4 year old cousin was attacked in her back yard in Brielle by a rabid raccoon, which was also killed when it started attacking the police/animal control. Scary!!

  3. I hope the girl oky and hopefully she says the same thing i say stop taking the tree down its the animals home fox birds bears deer and more the more trees that get knock down the more animals we will see

  4. You have to remember, most wild animals are more afraid of you than you are of them. I don’t know the circumstances of the opossum, but I have a feeling the woman just panicked. Opossums are not known to be frequent carriers of rabies. If she were better educated about indigenous wildlife, she probably could have removed it (or had it removed) safely for ALL parties. That is why the animal rights people get up in arms. In all likelihood, (moderated). Having said that, a fox that is out in the day, near people, attacking people … yes, probably sick, distemper or rabies probably.

    It is just unfortunate that we do not train our officers to deal with difficult animals better. It could save a lot of animals’ lives and a lot of bad PR.

  5. I’ve encountered several opossums and they are rather laid back and not prone to viciousness. I would leave them alone. This fox sounded sick, I hope they test it for rabies. I would think a normal animal would run away from people.

  6. If I saw an animal intrude into my home and get near my babies, I would kill it without thinking twice. Humans lives take precedence over animals any day! A parent’s responsibility is to their children and I don’t blame that mother for wanting to protect her kids. Animal rights activists take their cause a little too far some times…..

  7. Please take your insensitive disgusting liberal remarks to California. We need to spend more money and resources on drug trafficking and things that affect people. If an animal is in your home you can have a 12 hour dialogue with it if its safe to remove it or not. Us folks that treasure our children will not blink an eye before killing it.

    Shame on you that you put more value to an animals live than to that of a person.

  8. I myself have had a family of racoons in the rafters of my attack. When one got stuck trying to escape on the outside of my home during a blizzard the police would not do anything about it…being I live in a small town we use the neighboring animal control who couldn’t be contacted until Monday and this fell on a Saturday… being my family was not in immediate danger we left it alone and it did wiggle free…if the situation were different I would have had no choice but to put my children first….animals do not know any better…. my wishes to the family…

  9. We once called the police (in a different county) about a possum that was acting weird on the front lawn. when the policeman came he pulled his revolver and aimed straight between the eyes. When the animal made its move, it was shot dead on the spot. Perhaps the officer could have retreated, but he stood his ground and protected us innocents from future harm.

    I called PETA to come and give the poor animal an ethical burial, but they were very rude on the phone and sounded quite unethical. Sometimes, it appears, they behave as if they are infected with rabies.

  10. I have read all the comments about people being barbaric to wildlife 90 percent of those people are probably fishermen isn’t that the same thing…and if you read it it was attacking the police officer and the animal control officer so when you stop fishing and worry more about the children then you have something to say….I also don’t appreciate the comments being hAtzola being a jewish ambulance…that has absolutely nothing to do with it somebody already stated it says the child was with the A sibling does not say the age of the siblings

  11. You mean to tell me kristie,that if a possom or opossom comes into my home I should just say hello why don’t you make yourself at homeand wait for about 5 hours until animal control takes it away? If I am alone with babies and a strange animal comes in my house I’m either gonna run or kill it. I am not taking a chance that its some nice bambi,and then to say take it out yourself????are you kidding me?

  12. Remember that as crazy as PETA is, they have no power over us and don’t make the laws. It’s the elected officials who are controlled by PETA who are the problem, because they re making these asinine laws. Can you guess which elected officials re in the back pocket of PETA? Can someone say Democrats? Or will I now get audited by the IRS for saying the truth……..

  13. some really crazy things posted here, insensitive on both sides of the issue ,yes human life is the first concern, however there are times when animals out of their normal element can be rescued and removed without killing them .I do think PETA is over the top on many counts but that also holds true for those who no respect for animal life .Once rescued a opossum from a store where he was running around in the nursery section brought him home and let him go in the woods behind my home

  14. Hmmmmm..interesting thread, to say the least. I’m just not sure if the plural of Fox is Foxes or Foxen, like, y’know, Oxen. Whatever..hope the little girl is fine.

  15. I’m not sure why the people on this site decided to turn this into a animal rights forum. to TLS. you got the story wrong on several details

  16. To you animal rights activists and intellectually challenged commentors, there is a little girl who is traumatized by the fact that an animal attacked her. Is this getting through? I dont care about the PETA side of your stupidity! A fox, rabid or not, roamed into a populated area and attaked a child. Thank you Hatzolah! Thank you Lakewood Police! Now that we have all divulged our true borgiouse inherent cynicism and stupidity, I wish a speedy recovery to the girl and her family. Shame on all of you for making the thread revolve around your personal convictions and not about the little gil who may be afraid to walk out her own front door! I hope all is well by the family. May the lord be with you in all your endeavors.

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