An unidentified animal has attacked three people near Centerra Park in Lebanon, New Hampshire, and police say its unusually aggressive behavior could indicate rabies.
The attacks occurred over roughly two days around the office-park area. Surveillance footage from one incident shows a small gray animal charging people in a parking lot instead of fleeing. Victims were reportedly scratched, and authorities believe the same animal may be responsible for all three encounters.
Fox? Fisher? Tiny regional cryptid with anger issues?
Police say the animal may be a gray fox or a fisher, but officers had not located or positively identified it at the time of their warning. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department has been notified.
Lebanon police urged people around wooded and brush-covered areas near Centerra Park to stay alert and not approach, capture or feed the animal. Anyone bitten or scratched by a potentially rabid animal should wash the wound and seek medical attention immediately.
The jokes stop there: rabies is deadly once symptoms begin, and aggressive daytime behavior can be a warning sign. Pets should be kept close and vaccinations should be current.
Because apparently the office park needed a boss battle
Centerra Park is a cluster of offices, medical facilities and businesses—not the usual setting for three wildlife attacks in rapid succession. One minute you are carrying a laptop bag and wondering whether the meeting could have been an email; the next, local police are issuing instructions about a possibly rabid mystery mammal.
Authorities are asking anyone who spots the animal to keep a safe distance and report the sighting. In other words: do not become the fourth incident because you wanted a vertical video.
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.