News and Investigations

On August 10, 2021, Polk County Animal Control responded to a home on Fussell Road in Polk City, where a fox bit a man while he was working on his boat. The man fought the fox off, and when the animal charged at him again, he dispatched the fox. 

The victim called Animal Control, and the Animal Control Officers collected the fox carcass and sent it to the state laboratory in Tampa for testing.

On Wednesday, August 11th, the results of the test confirmed that the fox was infected with rabies. 

The victim was notified of the positive test result and has begun the appropriate medical treatment.

There have been three prior confirmed rabies cases in Polk County so far this year. This is the second case involving a fox in 2021, while the other two cases involved a bat and a racoon.