Jun 30, 2009 10:09 pm US/Eastern
Rabid Fox Attacks Elderly Worcester Woman
WORCESTER (WBZ) ―
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Photo of a running fox from Nov. 12, 2004 (file image)
AP
When Bob Ford went to work Tuesday, he knew he'd be hunting critters. His family owns a pest control business in Worcester. But he's used to rats and mice, not a rabid fox.
"We heard screaming," Ford said.
He and his co-worker, Leo Dupont, were working in another yard when they heard 76-year-old Wen Yu Chen screaming. She had been gardening when a fox attacked her.
"I look down and there's this woman with an animal attached to her arm just swinging violently. It was hanging off by it's teeth," Ford said.
Dupont ran to get a tool to use as a weapon while Ford raced toward the woman.
"Half way down I realized what am I going to do when I get there?" Ford recalls.
There was no time to think. The fox dropped off the woman's arm, so Ford kicked it. "(Like) Vinatieri, boom, I punted him and he went flying."
Ford distracted the animal while Chen, covered in bite marks and blood ran into her house.
Ford then jumped up on a nearby car. The fox started after him, Ford kicked again. His co-worker watched in horror.
"It kind of wandered around the yard," said Dupont. "Then it got extremely aggressive out of nowhere again and decided that it was going to come back for Bob again."
"It had a look in it's eye," said Ford. "Like I'm coming for you, and it did."
The fox managed to bite Ford on the leg, but with another hard kick, he sent the fox flying. By this time, police arrived and shot the animal. They believe this was the same fox that had been seen in the neighborhood the night before. One man was bitten, and two cats were also attacked.
Chen is hospitalized in stable condition. Ford had to have six shots as a rabies precaution. Ford says Chen called him into her hospital room to thank him for saving her life. Ford doesn't look at himself as a hero.
"I don't think so. She was in rough shape the poor lady. I didn't know what else to do."
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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