Rabies Confirmed in Lowndes County: What to Do If a Fox or Other Animal Bites

By Ricky Browning — June 2026

If you live around Valdosta, you’ve probably already heard the news. This past Sunday, June 28, a fox attacked a 5-year-old girl on her family’s porch in the Valdosta area. Her family fought the animal off, it was killed, and officials collected it for testing — and she’s home now and receiving rabies treatment (WALB, WCTV). The same weekend, the South Health District confirmed a positive rabies case in Lowndes County.

It’s an unsettling thing to hear about so close to home — but the reassuring part is that rabies is one of the most preventable diseases there is, as long as you know what to do. So here’s the calm, sourced version — what to do if a wild animal bites you, how serious rabies really is, how to protect your pets, and exactly who to call here in Lowndes County.

This is general safety information, not medical advice. If you or someone in your family has been bitten or scratched by a wild or stray animal, wash the wound and call your doctor, the health department, or 911 right away.

What happened in Lowndes County?

On Sunday, June 28, 2026, a fox attacked a 5-year-old girl on her family’s porch in the Valdosta area of Lowndes County. Family members fought the animal off, it was killed, and officials collected it for testing. The girl is home and receiving rabies post-exposure treatment, and the South Health District confirmed there was a positive rabies case in Lowndes County over the weekend.

It’s worth being precise about what’s officially confirmed. “There was a positive rabies case in Lowndes County over the weekend,” South Health District spokesperson Kristen Patten told WALB — though she did not confirm it was the same fox that bit the child. The family says they were told the fox that attacked their daughter tested positive. Either way, a rabies-positive animal in the area is a real reminder for the rest of us to brush up on the basics.

What should you do if a fox or other animal bites or scratches you?

Wash the wound right away — thoroughly, with soap and water — and get medical care immediately. Tell the doctor it was a wild or stray animal so they can start rabies post-exposure treatment before any symptoms appear, then report the bite to the health department or animal control. Don’t wait to “see how it heals.” Here’s the order of operations, straight from the CDC:

1. Wash the wound immediately. Soap and water, for several minutes — it genuinely lowers the risk.
2. Get medical care right away. Go to your doctor or the ER and say it was a wild or stray animal. They’ll decide on rabies post-exposure treatment, which works best started early.
3. Report it. Tell the South Health District and/or animal control so the exposure is on record and the animal can be tested if it’s available.
4. Don’t chase the animal. If it can be safely contained for testing, great — but never risk a second bite trying to catch it.

How dangerous is rabies — and does treatment work?

Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms begin — but that’s exactly why treatment matters so much: post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is nearly 100% effective when it’s started promptly, before symptoms appear (CDC). A bite from a possibly rabid animal is a true medical urgency, not a wait-and-see — and one modern medicine handles extremely well when you act fast.

For perspective: in the United States, the great majority of reported rabies cases are in wild animals — foxes, raccoons, skunks, and bats — and thanks to widespread pet vaccination and prompt treatment, human rabies deaths are now very rare, only a handful a year nationwide (CDC). The danger isn’t the bite itself; it’s waiting too long to get treated.

How can you tell if a wild animal might be rabid?

Watch for animals acting badly out of character: a usually-nocturnal animal — a fox, raccoon, or skunk — out and active in daylight, aggression or an eerie tameness, stumbling or staggering, or heavy drooling. A healthy fox wants nothing to do with you; one that comes at you or won’t leave is a red flag. Keep your distance — do not try to handle, corner, or “shoo” it.

Don’t count on luck or improvised protection to fend off an aggressive animal — the safe move is always distance. Get children and pets inside, put something solid between you and the animal, and call for help.

How do you protect your pets — and is rabies vaccination the law in Georgia?

Yes — Georgia law (O.C.G.A. Title 31, Chapter 19) requires dogs and cats to be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian, and keeping that current is your pet’s best protection. Supervise pets outdoors, don’t let them roam where they could meet wildlife, and if your pet does tangle with a wild animal, call your vet and animal control promptly — even if it’s up to date on shots.

A few specifics: Georgia generally vaccinates dogs, cats, and ferrets at 12 weeks of age, with a booster a year later, and then on a one- or three-year schedule depending on the vaccine. Some Georgia counties require an annual booster, so it’s worth confirming with your vet which schedule applies here. A current rabies tag isn’t just a sticker — if your pet is ever exposed, being vaccinated changes everything about what happens next.

Who do you call in Lowndes County?

It depends on the situation. For an attack in progress or a serious bite, that’s a 911 call. For a bite that needs rabies treatment, it’s your doctor or the ER. To report the exposure or a suspect animal, it’s the health district and animal control:

And if you simply spot a fox, raccoon, or other animal acting strangely around the neighborhood, post it on Field Reports so your neighbors know to keep their kids and pets clear of that spot. The LocalHelp directory also points to community and emergency resources around Valdosta and Lowndes County.

How can families avoid this in the first place?

Most encounters are avoidable with a few simple habits: don’t feed or approach wildlife, secure trash and pet food so foxes and raccoons aren’t drawn to the yard, keep pets vaccinated and supervised, and teach kids to never touch a wild or stray animal. The whole idea is to give wildlife no reason to come close and your family no reason to get near it:

• Don’t feed or approach wildlife — not even the “friendly” ones. A wild animal that’s comfortable around people is a problem waiting to happen.
• Secure trash cans and pet food. An easy meal on the porch is what draws foxes, raccoons, and skunks into the yard in the first place.
• Teach kids the rule: never touch a wild, stray, or unfamiliar animal, and tell an adult immediately if one scratches or bites them — even a little.
• Keep pets vaccinated and supervised outdoors, and bring them in if you see anything acting strange.

It’s the same calm-and-distance approach we wrote about for black bear sightings in Georgia — give wildlife space and it almost always gives you space back. For more on keeping the little ones safe outside, see our pieces on spending time outdoors with kids and summer safety in South Georgia.

One practical note for those first few minutes: clean wound care matters, so a basic first-aid kit — soap, antiseptic, and bandages — is worth keeping on hand. Our sponsor Hogan’s Pharmacy, the independent Valdosta pharmacy that’s been taking care of neighbors since 1976, is a handy local stop to stock one (and a good place to ask a quick question about staying current on vaccines).

Common Questions

Is there rabies in Lowndes County right now?
Yes. The South Health District confirmed a positive rabies case in Lowndes County over the weekend of June 27–28, 2026, after a fox attacked a child in Valdosta. Rabies turns up in Georgia wildlife year-round, so the basic precautions always apply.

What do I do if a fox or raccoon bites me?
Wash the wound immediately with soap and water and get medical care right away; tell them it was a wild animal so they can start rabies treatment, then report it (CDC). This is general info, not medical advice — when in doubt, call your doctor or 911.

Is a rabies bite always deadly?
Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, but post-exposure treatment is nearly 100% effective when started promptly, before symptoms — so a bite is urgent but very treatable if you don’t wait.

Does my dog have to be vaccinated for rabies in Georgia?
Yes. Georgia law requires dogs and cats to be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian. Keep it current — some counties require an annual booster.

What if my pet gets in a fight with a fox?
Call your vet and animal control promptly, even if your pet is vaccinated, so the exposure can be evaluated. Don’t handle the wild animal yourself.

The Bottom Line

A rabid animal in the neighborhood is genuinely scary — but the playbook is simple, and it works. Keep your pets’ shots current, teach your kids to leave wild animals alone, and if anyone is bitten or scratched, wash it and get care immediately. Rabies treatment is nearly always successful when you don’t wait, which is the whole ballgame.

If you see a fox, raccoon, or other animal acting strange around the Valdosta area, keep your distance and report it on Field Reports so your neighbors stay a step ahead. Our thoughts are with the family in this one — and if the loudest thing that comes of it is a whole lot of us double-checking the dog’s rabies tag this week, that’s a good outcome. (General safety information, not medical advice — when in doubt, call your doctor, the South Health District, or 911.)