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When a suspiciously acting fox appeared in North Potomac resident Cynthia Fain's yard Aug. 26, she said she expected a quick response from county officials to contain the animal.

The fox, she said, was panting and shaking, and was attacking inanimate objects in her yard. She suspected it might be rabid.

"He took my birdbath and threw it up in the air and tore down the garden fencing," Fain said. "I said, ‘Oh, my God.' I got on the phone and started making calls."

What followed would highlight what appears to be a convoluted approach in the official response to a rabid animal that can encompass local, state and sometimes even federal agencies, and confusion over just who is authorized to trap wild animals.

Shortly after sighting the fox, around mid- to late afternoon, Fain said she contacted the Montgomery County Police's Animal Services Division and was connected through an automated menu with an emergency dispatcher.

The animal emergency dispatch service is run through the Montgomery County Humane Society. She said the dispatcher told her that the group was not authorized to trap an ambulatory animal, and to either set a humane trap herself or to hire a contractor to do it, after which they could pick the animal up.

She said she was also told to contact the Montgomery County police, who directed her back to animal services. She also attempted to contact the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, a state agency that typically deals with wildlife. DNR officials told her to attempt to get a response from the county first before they sent someone to respond to the scene, she said.

A county police officer arrived around 8 p.m., she said, after she said she was "trapped" in her home for several hours, afraid to so much as check the mail. The officer stayed for about 45 minutes before leaving, because the fox could not be found.

"The fox made a sighting right before the police officer got here, but when the police officer pulled up, the fox was gone," Fain said. "That fox was out there in my yard for hours; it was ample opportunity."

Confused, Fain said she eventually left her home after nearly 24 hours — unsure whether the fox was still roaming the area — in order to buy a humane trap, which cost $70. She said she couldn't afford to hire a contractor, which would have cost $400. She never set the trap, afraid that the aggressive animal would reappear.

When contacted by The Gazette, Montgomery County Humane Society officials said that Fain's call was forwarded to police due to a backlog in emergency calls that day. Nicholas Gilman, interim executive director of the Montgomery County Humane Society, said that responding to a rabid animal can sometimes cause confusion, though he said the dispatch service should properly direct each call. "It's not always terribly simple which agency responds, depending on the circumstances," he said.

Gilman said the Humane Society routinely responds to sick or injured animals – usually those who are unable to move – and confirmed that the group is not licensed to trap wild animals. Gilman said that in the case of wildlife that are ambulatory and posing a threat, the Department of Natural Resources would typically respond.

Gilman also said that if the animal is protected, federal agencies may need to become involved.

"Though I encourage people to call the Humane Society, if they have animal concerns that are controlled by DNR, there are times when neither the Humane Society or Animal Control can respond to that," Gilman said.

The Department of Natural Resources, however, told The Gazette that the county should be the first line of response for potentially rabid animals. "The bottom line is if [the county] gets a call about a rabid animal, they investigate it first, and if they need assistance then we come out," said Bob Beyer, associate director of DNR's Wildlife and Heritage Service, adding that rabies is endemic in Maryland and that DNR would be unable to respond to each call. "We rely on them to tell us what they see and the symptoms so that we know we're not going on a wild goose chase."

Adding to the confusion surrounding the case, Gilman was baffled that the dispatcher advised Fain to trap the animal herself.

"We should never and will never advise any private citizen to trap any wild animal, period," Gilman said.

Gilman also said his group is not authorized to pick up animals after they have been trapped. However, he and Stephen Dickstein, of the county police's Animal Services Division, said that some callers are occasionally advised to seek a trapping contractor.

Fain said she remains confused about the proper protocol for dealing with rabid animals in the county.

"It seems there isn't a coherent way [to get a response] if you've got a rabid animal in your yard," Fain said.

For animal emergencies, call the Montgomery County Police's Animal Services Division at 240-773-5900.

For animal emergencies within the City of Rockville, call 240-314-8930.

For animal emergencies within the City of Gaithersburg, call 301-258-6343.

For wildlife nuisance problems, such as wild animals in the home, call the Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Heritage Service at 877-463-6497.