Fox Euthanized After Allegedly Biting Congressman

Sad news from the Washington, DC Department of Health: A fox suspected of biting numerous people on the grounds of the Capitol has been euthanized. The mother fox was captured Tuesday, hours after Capitol Police warned that there had been reports of encounters with an "aggressive" fox. DC Health said Wednesday that the fox was "humanely euthanized so that rabies testing can be done," the Washington Post reports. Health authorities said there had been nine confirmed fox bites over the last few days. The health department said the fox's kits were captured Wednesday morning and they are working to determine the "next steps."

"No other foxes were found on the Capitol Hill grounds, but it would not be uncommon to see more as there are many present throughout the District," the department said in a statement, per NBC Washington. Those bitten by the fox include Democratic Rep. Ami Bera and Politico journalist Ximena Bustillo. Bera, who started a course of rabies shots after the fox nipped his leg Monday, tweeted early Wednesday that he's not holding a grudge and he hopes the fox and its family "are safely relocated and wishing it a happy and prosperous future." A "Capitol Fox" Twitter account later tweeted: "Gone but not forgotten. May you remember me fondly." (More Washington, DC stories.)