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Rabid fox attacks child in Peachtree City neighborhood

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Published  August 1, 2025 1:54pm EDT
Peachtree City
FOX 5 Atlanta
article

(Margit Wallner from Pixabay)

The Brief

    • Health officials are warning residents in Peachtree City after a fox who attacked a child tested positive for rabies.
    • The rabid fox crawled out from under the Peachtree City mom's car and bit one of her children while they tried to run inside, health officials say.
    • Authorities say Georgians should notify animal control if they see any animals that appear to be sick or overly aggressive.

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. - Georgia health officials are warning residents of Peachtree City after a fox tested positive for rabies after biting a child multiple times.

Officials say the animal had been spotted by other residents in the area before the attack. 

What we know:

Authorities with the Georgia Department of Public Health say the attack happened around Log House Road on July 23.

According to reports, the Peachtree City mother and two of her children were in their driveway when the fox appeared from under one of their vehicles. The family tried to run inside their home, but the animal was able to bite one of the children several times.

What they're saying:

Health officials are urging residents to stay away from unfamiliar dogs, cats, and wild animals.

"If you notice a wild or nocturnal animal moving about in the daytime, and the animal appears to show no fear of people, or the animal seems to behave in a sick or abnormal way, the animal may be infected with rabies," said Seth Woodrow, the environmental health director for District 4 Public Health. "Therefore, people should avoid the animal and report it to the local health department or animal control.

Residents should make sure their pets are up-to-date on their vaccinations. Georgia law requires all owned dogs, cats, and ferrets to have a current rabies vaccination from a licensed veterinarian.

"If your pet bites someone, and you can’t prove its rabies vaccines is current, the law may require at least a 10-day quarantine for your pet, or even euthanasia so its brain tissue can be examined for signs of rabies," Woodrow said.

What you can do:

If you spot an animal that appears to be sick, overly aggressive, or out of character, report it immediately to Fayette County Animal Control at (770) 631-7210, the Peachtree City Police Department’s non-emergency number at (770) 487-8866, or the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division at (800) 366-2661.

If the animal has direct contact with your pet, you, or anyone you know, report the interaction to Fayette County Animal Control, the Peachtree City Police Department, or the Fayette County Environmental Health Office at (943) 209-8057.

The Source: Information for this report came from a release by the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Peachtree CityHealthNews