Woman describes harrowing fox attack on Saratoga Springs trail

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is investigating a series of recent fox attacks in Saratoga Springs.

On Wednesday morning, a woman was attacked by a fox on the Railroad Run trail near West Circular Street, police said.

Melissa Thompson-Flynn, 61, said the fox came up behind her while she was jogging. A bystander called out trying to warn her, she said.

"I look down and there's a wild animal attached to my leg," she said. "I fell to the ground ... I'm screaming my head off and I'm grabbing the animal and trying to get it off me."

When she managed to pry the animal off of her leg, it sank its teeth into her right arm, she said. Thompson-Flynn, a retired U.S. Army officer who served in Iraq, used her left arm to grab the animal by the throat, attempting to choke the fox. 

"I said 'you (expletive) with the wrong woman. One of us is going to die and it's going to be you!' " Thompson-Flynn said.

When police arrived on the scene several minutes later, Thompson-Flynn was still grappling with the fox, she said. An officer shot and killed the fox as it continued to gnaw at her hand, she said. 

On Saturday, Thompson-Flynn was still at Albany Medical Center recovering from injuries to her hand, wrist and forearm and lower leg. She has begun a series of rabies vaccines.

In a public service announcement, Saratoga Springs police urged caution and noted that such attacks are rare. 

"As a reminder, we are urging the public to exercise caution should they come in contact with wildlife. Please be cognizant of unusual animal behavior and stay safe. Should you believe you were bitten or exposed to a sick wild animal, make sure to seek proper medical advice," Saratoga Springs Police Lt. Bob Jillson said in a statement.

Police referenced an earlier incident involving an aggressive fox on North Broadway.

Skidmore College is located at the end of North Broadway and hosts Camp Northwoods, a summer day for elementary school children, where a counselor was bitten and a camper scratched by a fox on Monday, according to people with knowledge of the incident. Both have begun a series of rabies vaccines.

Skidmore College spokeswoman Angela Valden said the two individuals who encountered the animal were treated for minor injuries. 

"The animal’s condition was unknown, but since it exhibited aggressive behavior, we reached out to the campus community and to neighbors in Saratoga Springs to alert them of this situation," she said. "We urged the campus community and nearby residents to be cautious of their surroundings and to avoid the area, and recommended if they encountered a fox, they should not approach it and they should immediately contact Campus Safety."

According to the DEC, gray foxes are likely responsible for the attacks. DEC officers and wildlife experts continue to patrol the area with local police and campus officials and set traps on the campus. There have been no additional sightings of the fox from the incident on Skidmore campus.

If you see a fox, contact the DEC at 1-844-332-3267.