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An unwelcome neighbor has taken up residence at the corner of Ridgecrest Drive and Stoney Bottom Road in Germantown.

Residents of Ridgecrest Drive say a fox has been living since late July in a storm drain at the intersection, close to an elementary school bus stop. They believe the fox may be rabid but say that they have been unable to find out who is responsible for its removal.

Scott Spector said he and several of his neighbors have been calling the animal control division of Montgomery County Police for a month to no avail. Animal control representatives say they cannot go into the storm drain and referred the neighbors to the county transportation department, Spector said. Transportation representatives told the neighbors to call animal control.

Police have been quick to respond to fox sightings but have not been able to find the animal, Spector said, and officers refer them to animal control.

"It's just such a runaround," Spector said. "It's a bus stop and school starts next week. It's an accident waiting to happen. Everybody's passing the buck and nobody's doing anything."

The fox is missing large patches of fur and a neighbor reported seeing it foaming at the mouth last week, Spector said. It goes out during the day; growls at people and chases them; kills small animals such as squirrels, but does not eat the carcasses or store them for later; and goes into yards, driveways and front porches when people are around, he said.

"It doesn't look like it's well," Spector said. "It's got no hair, part of the tail's missing and it's living in the sewer."

Neighbor Monica Hill said she reported the fox to animal control Monday but was told that nothing could be done unless the animal was hurt.

"I have a home day care and not knowing if it's rabid is scary," Hill said Tuesday afternoon. "It's also about the safety of our pets."

Montgomery County Police contracts with the Montgomery County Humane Society for certain tasks, including response to calls about animals suspected of having rabies, according to Capt. Michael Wahl, director of animal control. He said it is not uncommon to see foxes out during the day.

Humane society representatives do not go into sewers or storm drains for safety reasons, he said. Animal control officers generally coordinate with transportation officials on wildlife issues involving storm drains

Animal control planned to go to the neighborhood Tuesday afternoon, Wahl said. The fox may have mange, a skin disease caused by mites that results in hair loss, he said.

The rabies virus attacks the central nervous system and is transmitted when infected saliva comes into contact with cuts, scratches, bites or mucus membranes such as eyes, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center's website. The disease is 100 percent fatal by the time symptoms emerge but rare in humans.

Rabies symptoms vary from animal to animal but generally include loss of fear around humans or natural enemies; irritability, aggression or excitability; appearing unusually tame or affectionate; staggering; paralysis; foaming at the mouth; and a change in the way the animal's voice sounds, according to the Montgomery County Humane Society's website.

Every year in Montgomery County, an average of 50 animals are tested and confirmed rabid, according to the website of the animal services division of county police. Most of these are wild animals such as raccoons or foxes.

Who to call

Animal Control, Humane Society and Animal Shelter:

240-773-5960 (pet complaints, lost and found reports, dead animals on roads)

Animal Emergencies:

240-773-5900

Rockville Department of Animal Control: 240-314-8930

Gaithersburg Department of Animal Control: 301-258-6343

Wildlife Nuisance Problems:

877-463-6497 (birds in attic, groundhogs under porches, etc.)

mtierney@gazette.net