An animal was caught on camera coming out of a wooded area to attack a man unprovoked in New Hampshire at the end of August. The local police department said three people have been attacked by an unknown animal in the area in the last week.
THE TAKEAWAY
- Three people have been attacked by an animal in New Hampshire.
- The animal is currently unidentified.
- The attacks were all unprovoked.
LEBANON, N.H.– A string of attacks by a small but aggressive animal have been reported in western New Hampshire, with one of said attacks caught on camera.
Video shows the first of the attacks, when a man in the Centerra Park area in Lebanon, New Hampshire, got out of a U-Haul truck in an empty parking lot.
The mystery animal then appeared out of nowhere, lunging at the man’s leg.
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The animal attacked the man as he got out of his U-Haul.
(Lebanon Police Department / FOX Weather)
Completely unaware at first, he kicked the small animal off, but it attacked him once again.
Lebanon Police Department said they’ve received reports of three attacks, presumably by the same unidentified animal, since Aug. 30 in the Centerra Park area.
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Initially, it was believed the animal was a fisher cat, a small animal in the weasel family.
However, since Lebanon police haven’t seen the animal themselves, they can’t be sure it’s a fisher cat.
The animal approached the man again, stealing an item he threw at it to get it to leave him alone.
(Lebanon Police Department / FOX Weather)
After being attacked a second time, the man in the video hit the animal with something in his hand, distracting it enough to cause it to run away for a moment.
At the same time, a car approaching the area witnessed the situation, with a person getting out of their vehicle to help when the man approached the back of the U-Haul truck to retrieve his lost item, when the animal ran at him once again.
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The man walked toward the U-Haul when the animal attacked him again as a bysander ran to help.
(Lebanon Police Department / FOX Weather)
Backing away, the man tried to flee only for the animal to make contact with his leg, as he struggled to get free.
The person from the car ran at them, attempting to help him, when he successfully detached the creature, sending it flying in the person’s direction.
The man kicked the animal off him, sending it flying into the air.
(Lebanon Police Department / FOX Weather)
Both people walked away from the critter as it scurried under the U-Haul.
After a minute, the pair approached the animal, scaring it away from the item it stole from the man and back into the woods.
People in the Centerra Park area are urged to use caution and be vigilant when walking near wooded or brush-covered areas.
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The man and the bystander scared the animal away from the U-Haul.
(Lebanon Police Department / FOX Weather)
“Do not approach, attempt to capture, feed, or otherwise interact with the animal,” the police department said. “Anyone who observes a fox, fisher, or other wild animal behaving aggressively, unusually, or approaching people should move to a safe location and contact the Lebanon Police Department immediately.”
Lebanon Police Department warned that the animal’s behavior could be attributed to a rabies infection, which is fatal in humans.
Anyone bitten or scratched by a wild animal should immediately wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water and seek prompt medical attention at a hospital or other appropriate medical facility where it can be determined if rabies post-exposure treatment is needed.
“The Lebanon Police Department has notified the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department and is coordinating with them regarding these incidents,” the department said in a news release about the attacks.
