POLK CITY, Fla. — Editor's Note: The fox in the photo above is not the one in question.
A rabid fox in Polk City is dead after deputies say it tried to attack several barn animals Wednesday.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office says the fox was "being aggressive and trying to attack six barn cats, four horses, and two cows."
According to a press release, this is the second confirmed case of rabies the county has seen this year. The prior case involved a rabid raccoon.
Deputies say the owner of the animals reported seeing the fox snapping at her cats and killed it. Animal Control responded and sent the fox for testing at a state lab in Tampa where it was confirmed to have rabies.
The woman's animals were not vaccinated for rabies and will now quarantine due to possible exposure, according to the sheriff's office.
"Most of the rabies cases we see in Polk County are either bats or raccoons. This is a reminder that any mammals can get rabies. If you have a dog or cat, get them vaccinated against rabies. And anytime you see a wild animal interacting with your pets, contact Animal Control immediately," Sheriff Grady Judd said.
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