Person and pet dog bitten by rabid gray fox in a south Las Vegas backyard, and the person is getting treatment, county says

What happened

A gray fox bit a person and their pet dog in their backyard in a south Las Vegas neighborhood, and the fox later tested positive for rabies, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. According to Clark County spokeswoman Jennifer Cooper, the bite happened in the 9300 block of Jeremy Blaine Court, near Interstate 15 and Silverado Ranch Boulevard.

Cooper said the county's Animal Protection Services was notified of the bite about a week before she gave an update by email on Monday. She said the fox is dead.

How the person and the dog are doing

The adult

Cooper told the Review-Journal that a medical professional is treating the person under rabies exposure protocols. She said the county has received no other reports of bites from the fox in the neighborhood. She added that no people or pets are showing signs of rabies or illness.

The dog

The dog was up to date on its vaccines and had no medical issues, Cooper said. "The dog will continue to be monitored for 45 days," she said.

How common rabies is in Southern Nevada

Rabies exposure cases in Southern Nevada are rare, the Review-Journal reported. State Veterinarian Peter Rolfe of the Nevada Department of Agriculture said the virus can infect any warm-blooded mammal. He said it takes close contact to spread, typically with saliva or neural tissue from an infected animal.

The Southern Nevada Health District said Monday that human rabies exposures are uncommon in Clark County. It also said human rabies cases are extremely rare in the United States.

Bats are the most likely carriers locally

According to the Review-Journal, the mammals more likely to carry rabies include bats, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, raccoons and skunks. In Southern Nevada, bats are the most likely to be infected. Rolfe said the Department of Agriculture tested 123 bats in 2026, and 14 came back positive.

Rolfe said the bats sent in for testing have had contact with people or pets, or are showing signs of illness. He said the department has also tested many other mammals, including pets and wildlife. Apart from this fox, none of them has recently tested positive.

What treatment looks like

The health district receives reports of possible rabies exposures and follows up on each one to assess the risk. It also works to make sure people get post-exposure prophylaxis, known as PEP. "PEP is highly effective at preventing rabies when administered promptly after exposure," the health district said.

What residents are being told

Rolfe urged pet owners to keep their animals' vaccinations current. "Any wildlife that is acting abnormal or looking ill or sick, my recommendation is keep your distance," he told the Review-Journal.

The neighborhood around the bite mixes homes, new home construction and empty desert lots, not far from the South Point resort, the newspaper reported. Residents said their homeowners associations notified them about the bite. Resident Carl Christofferson said he did not think much of it at first, until he learned a couple of days later that the fox had rabies.

For other health and safety issues around the valley, see our public safety coverage.

What to watch next

• The dog's 45-day monitoring period, which Clark County said is continuing.
• The person's ongoing care under rabies exposure protocols, according to the county.
• Southern Nevada Health District follow-ups on reported potential rabies exposures and access to post-exposure treatment.