Rabid bobcat lurking under Jeep attacks 9-year-old, dad says. ‘Tore his shoe off’
A rabid bobcat was lurking under a Jeep before it lunged at a 9-year-old boy and launched a “full-on attack,” his dad said.
“It tore his shoe off,” Wes Burchett said, adding that his son’s left sock was torn “to shreds” during the encounter in Banks County, Georgia. As the animal bit and scratched his son, Burchett said he fought back.
“I went into dad mode, and I was just trying to do everything I could do to get this cat off my son,” Burchett told McClatchy News in an April 14 phone interview.
So, the father kicked the bobcat and pulled it off his son. But when the animal stared at Burchett and showed its teeth, he said he took out a pistol and shot it.
The April 8 attack sent the 9-year-old boy, Easton, to a hospital for treatment. He got more than a dozen stitches and needed rabies shots due to his exposure to the wild animal, according to his family.
The harrowing moments came as Burchett and his son were at a neighbor’s home to help with their dog.
“As soon as my son steps on the steps to unlock the door, that bobcat shot out from under that Jeep,” which was parked under a carport, Burchett said.
“I was punching it because I was trying to get it off of me,” Easton told WAGA, adding that he was in a lot of pain when the bobcat bit him in the leg.
Bobcat tests positive for rabies
After the ordeal, District 2 Public Health in a news release said a bobcat tested positive for rabies, though it shared few details about the encounter. Health officials said the incident happened April 8 in Maysville, the same rural town where the Burchetts live.
Though health officials didn’t immediately respond to McClatchy News’ requests for additional information on April 14, WANF and other news outlets reported that the bobcat shot and killed after the attack on Easton had rabies.
Rabies is a potentially deadly disease that can spread to humans through bites or scratches. People living in the area of the bobcat sighting are urged to avoid contact with stray animals and to check their pets, as signs of rabies may include excessive saliva and odd behavior, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Encounters between wild animals and domestic pets, including some that involve people, sometimes occur in our area,” state officials wrote April 12. “Incidents of exposure are common but can be prevented if residents take precautions to protect themselves and their pets.”
Bobcats, which weigh up to 28 pounds on average, are often found in wooded and agricultural areas of Georgia. They typically avoid places where humans spend time, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources wrote in 2007.
Maysville is roughly 65 miles northeast of Atlanta.
‘Brave’ bobcat attacks 120-pound python and eats its eggs, Florida trail camera shows
Rabid foxes attack three in NC town, officials say. Residents urged to avoid wildlife
