Boy bitten by fisher in Rehoboth

REHOBOTH, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- A 12-year-old boy was bitten by a wild animal Monday night in Rehoboth.

Jane Foster, the town's animal control officer, said the incident happened just after 9 p.m. Monday at a pool party. What is believed to be a fisher bit the boy, Wes Brown, then tried to get into the house.

"I saw something that looked like my cat and first because it was really dark out. And then I saw the ears and I started to go inside and it attacked me on the leg," Brown said.

In an attempt to get the animal to leave, the boy's mother threw a hammer at it, and it ran away.

Foster said she has set up a trap in case the fisher cat comes back, though it is unlikely to return.

"Fisher cats are very nasty. They're like a badger. They usually don't come to people. If you come upon them, you're best bet is to turn away and walk away," Foster said.

Brown was taken to Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, R.I. He has already begun treatment for rabies.

State wildlife biologists are working to determine exactly which animal attacked him.

Foster said it was unlikely that she would be able to catch the same animal that bit Brown, and warned people against feeding animals and leaving food out in the back yard, as animals get used to people and aren't scared away from them.

Fishers are small mammals that look like part of the weasel family, live in the forest and are omnivorous hunters of both plants as well as other small animals.

Cox Media Group