Fox attacks two children in Otego

Local News

Discussion

COMMENTING ON STORIES:

Welcome to our story comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including the unpopular ones. We only ask that you keep your conversations clean, civil and on the topic of the story you are commenting on.

Coinciding with our websites redesign, we launched our new story comments feature through Disqus.

Disqus gives users the ability to log into our story comments feature so that they may be able to track their conversations, receive emails when their comments get a reply or to even have your comments update onto your Facebook or Twitter accounts.

For the time being, our story comments feature will continue to have the ability to post comments anonymously. We reserve the right to require registration in the future using your name and verified email address.

Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified at the newspaper’s discretion for a number of different reasons. Please follow our Online Rules of Conduct at all times.

RULES OF CONDUCT:

We reserve the right to remove comments that are unacceptable, to wit:

1. False and inacurate statements.
2. Personal attacks. Explicit name-calling.
3. Harassing, harmful, vulgar, obscene and defamatory language.
4. Threatening statements or statements that suggest violence.
5. Hate speech of any kind.
6. Intolerant comments on religion, race, age, gender, sexual preference or disabilities.
7. Accusations of criminal activity.
8. Content that is harmful to children and minors in any way.
9. References to any type of sexual activity and other private matters.
10. Random and inflammatory statements that are off topic.
11. Advertising of any kind.
12. Typing in all caps.

WE ENCOURAGE REASONABLE AND COURTEOUS COMMENTS THAT:

1. Create conversation on issues of interest and concern to fellow readers and local community members.
2. Express opinions and contrarian views.
3. Stimulate debate with respectful language.
4. Stay within the boundaries of these rules.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SUSPEND OR TERMINATE ACCESS FOR:

1. Violating any of these Online Rules of Conduct.
2. Deliberately disrupting discussions with repetitive messages, meaningless messages or spam.
3. Misrepresentation of identity or impersonating another user.

WE WELCOME:

1. Flagging violations of these rules that you observe to our attention.

MONITORING:

We monitor comments regularly Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Approval of comments outside of this time (including weekends) will be sporadic.

comments powered by Disqus

June 29, 2011

Fox attacks two children in Otego

Anonymous Staff Report The Daily Star Wed Jun 29, 2011, 03:30 AM EDT

A potentially rabid fox attacked two children on a trampoline Monday in Otego, according to their mother.

It is the latest in a series of fox encounters in the area in recent weeks.

April Worman said her family had seen the gray fox come close to their county Route 6 home Sunday night. The following morning, her 3½-year-old daughter and 9½-year-old son were playing on an outdoor trampoline when the fox jumped up and bit her daughter 12 times on the legs and ankles, according to Worman.

"It came onto the trampoline," Worman said.

Her son was bitten four times on his left arm and wrist when he grabbed the fox, she said.

"He threw it off the trampoline because it was attacking his sister," Worman said.

Her husband found the fox that night and shot it. It is being tested for rabies, and the results should be known in about a week, according to Worman.

Worman said her children were treated at A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital for the bites and started getting the rabies shots.

The Oneonta Police Department is also looking for at least two foxes -- one gray, the other red -- that have had encounters with pets in recent weeks.

Police investigated several reports of a possibly rabid fox in the Suncrest Terrace and Overlook Drive area two weeks ago. That fox, which attacked a cat, is described as gray and acting strangely.

An officer shot at the fox, but it was seen later that week.

A second fox was seen in the upper area of Wilber Park at about 7 p.m. last Wednesday. That fox, which bit a black Labrador in the neck before running away, was described as red, according to police.

If the animals are seen, residents are asked to call police at 432-1111 or the Department of Environmental Conservation at 267-9547 or (518) 357-2047.

Anyone who may have been exposed to a rabid animal should contact police or the Otsego County Public Health Department at 547-4230.