Gray fox are commonly found in southern and central Maine, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. (Courtesy of Maine IF&W)
A 95-year-old Maine man beat a rabid fox to death with a wooden plank, according to police.
The Times Record reported Robert Galen was working on his deck Monday when he encountered the 10-pound fox. He had dropped some sawed planks on the lawn and was going around to grab the planks and bring them to his garden.
When he picked up one of the planks, he looked up and saw a mature fox looking him "right in the eye."
The fox bit Galen's foot, but didn't break the skin.
“I’d been aware of the rabies incidents in Brunswick so I almost instinctively hit this animal on the head with the club I had, fortunately, I my hand,” he told the local newspaper.
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Galen told the Times Record that it took him about 10 minutes to beat the fox to death, and he injured his back after falling during the struggle.
When animal control officials tested the animal, they found it had rabies. Galen said he didn't contract the virus.
Brunswick police say this is the third person to be attacked by a rabid fox in the past 10 days.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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