Alexandria Animal Control Report: Night Terrors on Howard Street

Animal Control officers in Alexandria deal with a variety of calls every week. Here's a glance at some recent incidents in the city courtesy of Patrick Egan of the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.

Bat eviction — Ever have those nightmares where some creature is flying above your head while you’re sleeping? For one Alexandria couple, that nightmare turned out to be the real deal.

Two residents in the 800 block of North Howard Street called in an Alexandria Animal Control officer to their home have corralling a bat into the sunroom of their house.

A few nights prior, the couple said they heard a flapping noise in their bedroom late a night but were unable to see what was creating the noise.

The couple heard the same noise the following evening, but this time found a bat flying around their room. The couple then maneuvered the animal into their solarium.

The bat had not departed by the following morning, so the couple dialed Animal Control. The officer collected the bat. Tests for rabies came back negative.

Mangy fox — Alexandria Animal Control is monitoring a fox in South Old Town that has been concerning some residents.

The office has received many calls about a fox that appears ill spotted in areas around Jones Point Park. Some callers have referred to the fox as a dog.

Officers have determined that the animal is a fox in early-to-middle stage of a skin condition known as mange. They do not believe the fox poses a threat to people or pets, despite some odd behavior.

The animal has been spotted lying in the sun during the day, which is believed to be the fox’s attempt to relieve itching caused by its skin condition.

Officers are continuing to observe the fox, but at this time it is too healthy to chase down successfully. The officers also believe humane trapping is unlikely to succeed.

Alexandria Shelter Walk — AWLA will host its second annual Alexandria Shelter Walk for Homeless Animals on Oct. 20 at Market Square in Old Town. Dogs are welcome, and walkers are encouraged to bring their canine friends.

The event is the only fundraising walk that benefits AWLA and the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter.

For more information and to register, please visit the event website.