Possibly Rabid Fox Killed After Attacking Two Chelmsford Women

CHELMSFORD (CBS/AP) — A possibly rabid fox that attacked two people in Chelmsford has been killed by police.

"This year has been very busy with foxes," says Erik Merill of Chelmsford Animal Control, "but they typically don't show any kind of aggression to people."

Chelmsford Police Chief James Spinney says the fox attacked a nurse and a pizza delivery person on Tuesday. According to Zesty's owner, Dan Rokas, the delivery driver initially mistook the fox for a dog.  "They have a couple of dogs there so he didn't think anything of it and then he looked and realized, that's not a dog," Rokas said. A mistake he paid for, as he rushed to the hospital to get rabies shots for the bite contracted in the attack.

Police later found the animal and noted that it was acting strangely. They determined it was a threat to public safety and killed it.

The carcass was turned over to a state lab to be tested for rabies.

Similar attacks were reported earlier this month in Burlington. Two women were bitten by a fox that was later confirmed to have rabies.

"People should just be aware that any mammal can carry rabies and at that point you should stay away," Merrill warns.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)