LEBANON — Public officials are asking people who visit the Centerra Parkway area to be on the lookout for wildlife behaving unusually after a suspected gray fox attacked a man in a parking lot there Sunday afternoon.
New Hampshire Fish and Game conservation officer Eric Brown said a man was loading items into his vehicle in a parking lot off Lafayette Street near the tennis courts around noon when the attack happened.
“The fox just came up behind him and grabbed ahold of his shoe or pant leg and he kicked it off,” Brown said in a Monday phone interview. “It didn’t initially run away and he finally kicked it and got it run off.”
The man, whom Brown declined to identify, contacted law enforcement, and Brown arrived at the scene about an hour later. By the time he got there, the animal had long since run off.
“I’m pretty positive on the gray fox,” Brown said, based on conversations with witnesses.
The man was not injured, and the fox “didn’t break skin” during the attack, though Brown recommended that he undergo rabies treatment as a precaution. Brown also emphasized that rabies cannot be diagnosed until an animal is dead and its body is tested.
“Is it normal behavior? No, but you don’t know if it’s protecting its young somehow or protecting a food source or a sickness of some sort, like rabies or distemper,” Brown said.
As of mid-Monday afternoon, Brown said he had not received any additional calls about wildlife behaving unusually.
“Wildlife usually don’t approach humans,” Brown said. “They keep their distance and tend to stay undercover. If they come up to you and try to make contact, it’s unusual.”
The Lebanon Police Department issued a statement about the incident around noon on Monday, identifying the animal involved in the attack as a “fisher cat.”
“Residents and visitors in the area are encouraged to use caution and remain aware of their surroundings, particularly when walking near wooded or brush-covered areas,” the department wrote in a statement, adding that officers would continue to monitor the area.
Those who encounter wildlife behaving unusually are asked to call New Hampshire Fish and Game dispatch at 603-271-3361.
