Lebanon, New Hampshire, has the sort of problem that sounds like the cold open of an episode your parents told you not to watch: an unidentified furry animal has reportedly attacked three people in less than two days, and authorities are not yet certain what it is.
Police believe the same animal was involved in all three encounters around Centerra Park. Video from one incident showed it charging people in a parking lot, going after a bag and biting toward a man’s feet and legs before running away.
Fox? Fisher? Tiny regional nightmare?
Authorities have said the animal could be a gray fox or a fisher. Its unusually aggressive behavior also raises concern about rabies. Lebanon police and New Hampshire Fish and Game are trying to locate it and have warned residents not to approach aggressive wildlife.
The Gen X childhood response—grab a broom, yell at it and be home before the streetlights come on—is not the official recommendation. Anyone bitten or scratched should wash the wound and seek immediate medical care because rabies is preventable after exposure but nearly always fatal after symptoms appear.
Officials have not announced that the animal was captured as of Thursday. Residents should keep pets close, avoid leaving food outdoors and report sightings rather than testing whether their flip-flops still count as defensive equipment.
Until wildlife officers identify it, “mystery animal” is accurate. Calling it a monster, mutant or escaped laboratory experiment would be fun in a VHS box description and useless in a public-safety notice.
Facts first. Side-eye included.
DJF separates what is confirmed from what is claimed—and tells you why this particular mess is worth your time.
Wade Crowley
Strange News & Small-Town WeirdWade collects stories that begin with “You are not going to believe what happened at the Walmart.” He covers odd crime, local legends, UFOs, and reality losing the plot.
“Somewhere, a police report is already getting weirder.”