Ithaca College

Members of the Ithaca College community are urged to be aware of their surroundings and take precautions around wildlife on campus, after a person was bitten by a fox in the parking lot next to Emerson Hall (Z lot) around noon on Friday, May 11.

The victim sought treatment at a local hospital. The Office of Public Safety searched the area but was unable to locate the fox. The college has notified the Tompkins County Health Department about the incident.

The Tompkins County SPCA reported that three individuals had encounters with a fox near the campus late Friday night, in the area of Kendall Ave. and Juniper Dr. The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office located and dispatched the fox following the third incident, and it will be tested for rabies. However, it is not known if the same animal is responsible for all of the incidents.

If you see a fox on campus, avoid the animal and contact the Office of Public Safety at 607-274-3333.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all bites by foxes must be considered a possible exposure to the rabies virus. Rabies is a potentially fatal disease that has no treatment once symptoms are apparent. If you are bitten on campus, thoroughly wash the wound immediately with soap and water, call the Office of Public Safety at 607-274-3333 AND call the Tompkins County Health Department at 607-274-6688 for guidance on how to receive the appropriate urgent preventive medical treatment.

For more information on rabies exposure and treatment, visit the CDC website.