A second fox has tested positive for rabies in the city of Bath, Maine, less than three weeks after another fox had tested positive.
Bath police said they responded to the area of Route 1 near Leonard Court around 6 a.m. Monday after receiving two reports of a sick-acting young fox that had been wandering around the Big Apple store and repeatedly walking into traffic, causing a hazard and risk to public safety.
Police were eventually able to locate the fox near Cottage Street and determine that it was not acting normally and might be rabid. Officers captured the animal and euthanized it. The fox was then sent to the state health lab to be tested for rabies.
On Wednesday, the city received word from the state Center for Disease Control and Prevention that the fox had tested positive for rabies. It's the second confirmed rabies case in the city in recent weeks.
On June 28, an older fox located in the same general area also tested positive for rabies. Police said they believe the two foxes might have been related.
The last case of rabies in the city before that was back in January of 2020, also involving a fox.
Bath police are now urging residents to make sure their pets are up to date on their rabies vaccinations and to report any sick-acting animals so they can investigate.
