2nd fox tests positive for rabies in Bath

A second fox has tested positive for rabies in Bath.

That follows a case on June 28 involving an older fox in the same area, according to Police Chief Andrew Booth.

The young fox was spotted about 6 a.m. Monday wandering around the Big Apple and walking into traffic on Route 1, Booth said, adding that callers reported that the animal was acting sick.

Officers later found the fox near Cottage Street, where they determined it wasn’t “acting normally and was potentially rabid.” They captured the fox and euthanized it, Booth said Thursday morning.

Subsequent testing confirmed the fox had rabies, and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention informed the city of the results on Wednesday.

Both rabies cases happened in the same area.

“We suspect but have not confirmed that these two foxes are related,” Booth said.

These are the first confirmed rabies cases in Bath since January 2020, which also involved a fox.

Booth urged Bath residents to ensure their pets are up to date on rabies vaccinations and to report any sick-acting animals.