MARLBOROUGH, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) A gray fox suspected of having rabies was killed Tuesday evening after it entered the roadway on Route 12 in Marlborough and bit two people, according to the Marlborough Police Department.

Police were called shortly before 5 p.m. to the area of NH Route 12 near Webb Depot Road after receiving reports of a possibly rabid fox obstructing traffic and acting aggressively.

When an officer arrived, the fox was observed attacking vehicles stopped in the roadway, including tires, bumpers and other trim.

Once traffic was cleared from the area, the fox was safely dispatched. It will be transported for rabies testing by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division and Operation Game Thief. The two people who were bitten, both Keene residents, sought medical treatment at a nearby hospital.

Rabies is a viral disease that can be transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal, most commonly through a bite. It can also be transmitted if saliva from a rabid animal comes into contact with an open wound or the eyes, nose or mouth. Once symptoms develop, rabies is almost always fatal, but prompt medical treatment following a potential exposure can prevent the disease from developing.

Wild animals such as foxes, raccoons, bats and skunks can carry rabies. Animals that appear unusually aggressive, disoriented, unusually tame or otherwise behave abnormally should be avoided and reported to local authorities.

Marlborough police are reminding residents to keep their distance from wildlife, particularly animals displaying unusual or aggressive behavior. Anyone who is bitten or scratched by a wild animal should immediately wash the affected area with soap and water and seek medical attention to determine whether rabies exposure treatment is necessary.