Mysterious Animal Attacking People in New Hampshire Has Everyone Puzzled: 'Don't Touch It!'
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There's a vicious animal on the loose in New Hampshire, and no one is entirely sure what it is .
Since August 30, local police have logged at least three attacks on people, all unprovoked. Surveillance video from one of the incidents that took place in Lebanon, NH, shows the animal charging a man near his U-Haul van, latching onto his leg, and hanging on for dear life. The man successfully shakes free of its bite, but the relentless beast only comes back for more. Another person, this time a woman, approaches the scene and does her best to avoid the animal's assault. See for yourself:
Lebanon police have some theories as to what this creature could be, but no one has been able to offer a definitive answer. They say the animal might be a gray fox or a fisher cat, and a very, very aggressive one at that. Comments on the video show that people are intrigued by this story and also amused by how it's being reported.
"'A small gray something or another?!'" questions one person, regarding the anchor's reference.
"'If you see it, don't touch it?!' Looks to me you don't get much of a choice!" points out another.
"I am 33 years old! Why is this my first time finding out what a fisher cat is?" asks a third.
But the potential danger – and the obvious lack of information – is no laughing matter.
What Is the Animal—and Why Is It Attacking?
Here's what we do know, based on reporting in Boston.com :
Police seem to have narrowed it to two candidates, and they're very different animals. A gray fox is a small wild mammal — roughly the size of a house cat, shy, and most active around dawn and dusk. A fisher isn't a cat at all, despite its name. It's a large member of the weasel family, dark, low to the ground, and carnivorous.
What the two have in common is that neither one wants anything to do with you. Healthy foxes and fishers avoid humans, which is why this concerns officials. An animal that charges strangers in a parking lot, especially repeatedly, is not behaving like itself.
Which is why officials are pointing to this animal as possibly having rabies . Nothing is confirmed — the animal hasn't been caught or tested — but the pattern is a familiar one in New Hampshire, where rabid foxes have bitten multiple people in past incidents. Anyone bitten or scratched is being told to seek medical attention immediately. And of course, do not approach or touch the animal, whether it gives you the option or not.
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This story was originally published by Parade Pets on Sep 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
