The Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) is urging community members to reach out if they or a pet came into contact with a rabid cat reported in Belle Haven last month.
The cat was captured after attacking “multiple people and pets” during the evening of Nov. 28 near the 13th Street and H Street intersection. Testing later confirmed that the animal had been infected with rabies, the FCHD announced on Friday (Dec. 5).
Some local hunters are getting their Legolas on: it’s bow hunting season.
Fairfax County kicked off its annual archery program for qualified bowhunters this past weekend to help control the local deer population.
An alligator wandered free on the grounds of a Huntington motel for some time early this morning (Monday).
The reptile appeared to break free from its enclosure in the parking lot before pacing around the grounds of the Budget Host Alexandria on Richmond Highway, according to scanner traffic. Fairfax County police officers responded to the incident at 12:10 a.m.
This week kicked off with a greeting from an unexpected furry face for some Herndon residents.
A black bear was spotted roaming the area around Alabama Drive and Hillwood Court north of Haley M. Smith Park this morning (Monday), the Herndon Police Department confirmed shortly before 9 a.m.
Pending final agreement with a key bargaining unit, Fairfax County government officials are ready to move forward with a consolidation of animal care and protection services.
The change, which was approved last year as part of the county’s fiscal year 2025 budget, will move operations currently handled by the Animal Protection Police (APP) within the Fairfax County Police Department to the county’s Department of Animal Services (formerly the Department of Animal Sheltering, or DAS).
The Fairfax County Department of Animal Sheltering (DAS) will likely assume the duties of the Animal Protection Police, starting this summer.
At a mark-up session last Tuesday (April 30), the Board of Supervisors indicated that it will implement the consolidation by transferring a position from the Fairfax County Police Department and creating a new chief animal control officer (ACO) as part of the fiscal year 2025 budget, which is scheduled to be formally adopted tomorrow (Tuesday).
A plan to consolidate the duties of Fairfax County’s Department of Animal Sheltering (DAS) and Animal Protection Police (APP) is drawing some pushback from the local police union.
Last month, county staff proposed to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors that DAS take charge of both animal care services and enforcement of animal protection laws, which would be carried out by animal control officers (ACOs). The recommendation came from both DAS and Fairfax County Police Department leaders.
(Updated at 3:55 p.m.) A local bald eagle stretched its wings for the first time in over a month when it got released at Burke Lake Park this past weekend.
The adult, male bird was found in Fairfax Station on Dec. 23 by Fairfax County Animal Protection Police officers, who were responding to a call for service. In addition to being “underweight,” the eagle had head injuries and “a deep laceration on a leg,” according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
Fairfax County wants to consolidate the duties of its Department of Animal Sheltering (DAS) and Animal Protection Police (APP).
Under the new arrangement, DAS would oversee both animal care services and enforcement of animal protection laws, which would be carried out by animal control officers (ACO), according to the recommendation from DAS and the Fairfax County Police Department.
(Updated at 8:30 p.m.) Several people have reported the sighting of a bear near Home Depot in Reston.
In a tweet, Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn warned residents of a bear sighting near the hardware store at 1651 Reston Parkway. A representative for Alcorn’s office said the Reston Police District received several reports.
