A calm Tuesday morning in Wimberley turned into a rabies scare after a fox attacked a cat in a neighborhood backyard and later tested positive for the deadly virus, county officials said. The cat’s owner killed the fox immediately after the attack, and Hays County Animal Control retrieved the carcass so it could be sent for laboratory testing. The confirmed rabies case has triggered a county alert urging residents to keep pet vaccinations current and to steer clear of wild animals.
According to KEYE, the Hays County Sheriff’s Office reported that the encounter happened around 9 a.m. in the area of Cedar Valley Court. Deputies confirmed the homeowner killed the fox, and animal-control officers then submitted the specimen to the state lab for testing, the station reports.
Laboratory confirmation
Testing by the Texas Department of State Health Services later verified that the fox was rabid. The agency maintains monthly rabies statistics and provides detailed guidance for veterinarians and health-care providers on when to test animals and how to handle human and animal exposures.
How to protect pets and who to call
Hays County officials are reminding residents to keep dogs and cats up to date on rabies vaccinations, supervise pets when they are outside, and avoid feeding or approaching wildlife, no matter how tame an animal might appear. If a person or pet is bitten or scratched, the county advises washing the wound immediately and seeking medical or veterinary care. The county’s public-health page also lists local emergency departments that can provide rabies post-exposure prophylaxis…