Fox attack victim speaks to 22News

AGAWAM, Mass. (WWLP) - It came from out of nowhere.

That's how an Agawam man describes the fearless fox that attacked him, just two feet  from his infant son.

The victim of Western Massachussett's fourth fox attack in a week spoke exclusively to 22News reporter Heidi Voight.


It was an ordinary afternoon outside Larry Gousse's Agawam home.

But something lurking in the bushes was about to change that.

"Me and my fiancee and my son were out here," said Larry, standing in his driveway, "and then all of a sudden something grabbed the back of my leg. I thought it was a dog, then I looked and it was definitely a fox."

In broad daylight, at 1:30 in the afternoon, a large fox latched onto Larry's leg and took him down to the ground.

"My girlfriend's brother had a screwdriver and he stabbed him," explained Larry.

But the fox kept fighting.

Mark Daniels, a neighbor across the street, heard the commotion and came running.

"He turned around and started barking, chewing his teeth, and he came after me," said Mark, demonstrating how he put an end to the eight minute ordeal. "I just picked the shovel up and I just- boom!"

It was a difficult split-second decision that the animal lover said he was forced to make.

"When he bites somebody, and there was a baby out here in the yard, Lord knows what he was going to do next," Mark reflected.

After a trip to the E-R and eight rabies shots, Larry's back home.

The dead fox has been sent to the state Department of Public Health for rabies testing.

It'll take at least three days before the results come back.

In the meantime, Larry's just thankful the fox didn't choose another
victim.... his little boy Jacob.

"He was two feet away from me," said Larry, shaking his head. "If that were to happen, it would have been..... ugly."


If you see any animals behaving erratically during daylight hours you should contact your local animal control and health department.