So I told you last week about a heroic older brother in Ocean County who saved his little sister from a fox attack. Now, we have an update as to why this Jackson Township little girl playing in her yard was randomly attacked by the fox.

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Just to recap what happened, an Ocean County teenager is being called a hero for saving his 4-year-old little sister from a fox that attacked her and a few others last week.  Of course this is a rare occurrence, but it was very real for little Lilith.  She and her older brother and mother were in the family's front yard when the fox  darted for the 4 year old little girl biting her right in the leg! Her big brother, Nielsen acted fast and grabbed the fox with his bare hands and pulled it off of her, protecting his little sister from a further attack.

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The older brother also had the foresight to trap the fox so it could be tested.  Well, now we have an update...the aggressive fox did in fact have rabies. Lilith is undergoing post-exposure prophylaxis for rabies right now.

This is a strong reminder to be alert and to animal proof your yard. Experts say to also make sure your garbage is stored in animal proof containers.  If you are bitten by a wild animal you should immediately wash the bite area with soap and water and then get hospital attention and rabies treatment asap.

The Department of Health estimates that approximately 2,500 people in Jersey receive rabies treatment for wild animal encounters gone wrong. We're so glad Lilith is doing OK! Please be careful in the warmer months when animals are more active.

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