Posted on 03/10/2008 5:33:14 PM PDT by decimon
PHOENIX -- A rabid mountain lion like the one pictured attacked a 10-year-old boy north of Phoenix on Saturday, before being shot to death by a family member, said Randy Babb of the Arizona Department Game and Fish.
"The family was riding all-terrain vehicles, took a break and while relaxing, an adult female mountain lion attacked the boy," Babb said.
The boy was lucky to have suffered only minor scratches to his back, Babb said.
The incident occurred in the Tonto National Forest in an area called Sheep Bridge in the extreme southeast corner of Yavapai County.
The region is on the back side of the Mazatzal Mountains, a rugged mix of desert chaparral and pinyon-juniper vegetation, according to Tom Cadden, public information officer for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
"One of the adults shot the animal and transported it back to their residence," Babb said.
The mountain lion was then submitted to the Arizona State Health Laboratory for testing. The boy and several others who may have been exposed to the cat will undergo preventative rabies treatment over the next few weeks, Babb said.
"Very seldom ever to see large mammals with rabies," according to Babb. "They're more common in bats, skunks and gray foxes. We're not expecting to see any more animals this large with rabies."
Babb stressed the attack was mostly likely an isolated incident.
So far this year, 14 animals have tested positive for rabies at the ADHS State Health Laboratory, including two others in the last week -- a coatimundi from the Oracle area and a rabid fox from the Clifton area. There were no human exposures in those cases, but three dogs were exposed to the rabid fox.
At least 27 pets have been exposed to rabid animals this year, according to Game & Fish officials.
"It is imperative for pet owners to immunize their animals against rabies and to ensure that these vaccinations are kept up to date," said State Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Elisabeth Lawaczeck.
Sorry, this can't be right, guns kill people, not defend children!
From what I have read, male gray foxes can be rabies carriers, seldom getting very sick, able to reproduce, etc.
That said, any mammal can get rabies, as far as I know. Never heard of a whale or a porpoise getting it, though...
It's a good thing someone in this party was armed. Must be a helluva thing to face a rabid cougar.
The Cape Cod orca (AKA Ted Kennedy) has been known to frequently foam at the mouth.
I've heard that they can get it only accidentally, but never on porpoise.
ROFL!!!!
I didn’t even realize I needed to laugh tonight, till I did. Thanks, gentlemen. :D
Big naughty kitty ping
The article refers to the cat as being rabid but
the testing is still ongoing. Are they just speculating
that its rabid because it attacked?
Cats do this, my kitties have all attacked me. Thank goodness they are just housecats.
One of these bounded across the road in front me about 8 miles from where we live - in Tennessee; granted it looked half starved, but it sure didn’t look like the usual bobcats we have in this area - too big. No one will believe me, except one woman said there were mountain lions in the area that were attacking their goat herds.
"Dreams of the everyday housecat."
Cheers!
"Dreams of the everyday housecat."
Cheers!
What part of Tennessee do you live in?
“lucky to have suffered only minor scratches...”
still gonna need the shots.
I read an interview with some fellow once who had the shots, he said if he had it to do all over again, he’d rather die from rabies!
Post your Mountian Lion recipes here!
Maybe the interview you read was someone who had the older type injections that were given into the abdomen. Now they are just a little shot in the arm, no big deal. I gave a series of them about 20 years ago, at that time it was just a regular intramuscular injection, similar to a tetanus shot.
Middle Tennessee.
Thanks! I had not even heard they had a new type.
Been a while since I had rabies!
(just kiddin)
I live in middle tennessee, too. I do believe they are here. My husband goes deer hunting all the time. I worry about wild animals in the woods. Feral dogs and the like.
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