A family dog killed the fox in the yard of a home along Plymouth Street in Gastonia, officials said.
GASTONIA, N.C. — Gaston County officials confirmed the first rabies case of 2025 in a fox that was killed by a family dog in Gastonia last week.Â
Gaston County Police Animal Care and Enforcement received a call about the dead fox at a home on Plymouth Street on January 9. The caller said the family dog had killed the fox in their yard. Officials confirmed there was no human contact with the fox.Â
The fox was collected on Thursday and was to a lab in Raleigh on Monday. Lab results confirmed that the fox tested positive for rabies. The family did not have documentation of the dog’s rabies vaccination so the dog will be quarantined at a local veterinarian’s office for four months.Â
Animal Care and Enforcement notified neighbors near Plymouth Street of the rabies confirmation. They also verified that all pets in the area have current rabies vaccinations. Plymouth Street is just off South Marietta Street.
The agency stressed the importance of having a valid rabies vaccination for all pet’s health and safety, as well as the health and safety of their owners and community.
