Rabies Infected Red Foxes Reported South of Austin

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) recently confirmed that an outbreak of rabies in wildlife across Hays County and the Austin metropolitan area, primarily affecting red foxes.

Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra issued a public health notice on Facebook on January 10, 2026, to alert residents about the situation. While officials have emphasized that there is no imminent threat to human life, rabies remains a serious and potentially fatal disease that can spread to pets, livestock, and humans through exposure, such as bites or scratches from infected animals.

Texas residents are advised to avoid approaching or handling any wildlife, especially if the animals appear disoriented, aggressive, or unusually tame. Hays County officials are working closely with local healthcare providers, veterinary services, and animal control agencies to monitor the outbreak and ensure readiness.

The Health Department says to protect themselves, their families, and their animals, officials recommend getting pets and livestock vaccinated against rabies as soon as possible. Texas law requires dogs and cats to be vaccinated.

Free rabies vaccination clinics are available in the county for animals, including one on January 17, 2025, at the PALS Clinic in San Marcos, TX.

While foxes are common carriers of the virus in central Texas, most rabies cases in the United States are related to bat bites. Travis County, which includes the Austin metro area, had the highest number of reported rabies cases with 68 cases (63 of which were bats) in 2024.

In 2025, DSHS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture conducted air-dropping of oral rabies vaccines in several states to help reduce wildlife outbreaks.

For humans, DSHS confirms rabies is a vaccine-preventable viral disease. Two types of vaccines protect people against rabies: nerve tissue and cell culture vaccines.