'Aggressive' Bobcat Attacks 2 Children and 2 Dogs in Georgia as Officials Issue Warning

A bobcat residing on a tree branch.Photo:GettyAn “aggressive” bobcat has attacked two children and two dogs in a rural town in Georgia, authorities said Sunday.The Oglethorpe County Fire and Rescue Departmentsaid on Facebookthat the bobcat attacked the children around 6:30 p.m. local time Friday in the area of Melton and Williams McCurley roads in Winterville.The two children who were attacked were a boy and a girl, with the youngest victim being 3 years old, department spokesperson Cody Gibbs told PEOPLE in a statement on Monday.The department said they have notified the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Public Health, the Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office and the Oglethorpe County EMS.The two attacks on the children happened within 15-20 minutes of each other, the spokesperson added.USA Todayreported that the boy and girl were playing outside their homes less than a quarter mile apart when the incidents unfolded.According to Gibbs, both victims were taken to local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries, and while it is unknown whether the bobcat was rabid, the children were treated as if it was.Two dogs were attacked in the same area the night before their attack, Gibbs said.“We suspect it’s the same animal that attacked all of them,” he added, noting that it’s a “definitely strange set of circumstances.“While treating the girl at the scene, the response teams learned about the boy’s attack, according toUSA Today. During the attack, the girl was scratched and suffered a single bite, per the paper. The extent of the boy’s injuries weren’t immediately clear.There have been no reported additional attacks since Thursday and Friday, but officials have warned the public to remain vigilant.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free weekly newsletterto get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.“If you live in that area, we ask you to be mindful of your surroundings and to please keep a close eye on your children when they are outside,” the Oglethorpe County Fire & Rescue Department said.The Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office and Oglethorpe County EMS did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.

A bobcat residing on a tree branch.Photo:Getty

Getty

An “aggressive” bobcat has attacked two children and two dogs in a rural town in Georgia, authorities said Sunday.The Oglethorpe County Fire and Rescue Departmentsaid on Facebookthat the bobcat attacked the children around 6:30 p.m. local time Friday in the area of Melton and Williams McCurley roads in Winterville.The two children who were attacked were a boy and a girl, with the youngest victim being 3 years old, department spokesperson Cody Gibbs told PEOPLE in a statement on Monday.The department said they have notified the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Public Health, the Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office and the Oglethorpe County EMS.The two attacks on the children happened within 15-20 minutes of each other, the spokesperson added.USA Todayreported that the boy and girl were playing outside their homes less than a quarter mile apart when the incidents unfolded.According to Gibbs, both victims were taken to local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries, and while it is unknown whether the bobcat was rabid, the children were treated as if it was.Two dogs were attacked in the same area the night before their attack, Gibbs said.“We suspect it’s the same animal that attacked all of them,” he added, noting that it’s a “definitely strange set of circumstances.“While treating the girl at the scene, the response teams learned about the boy’s attack, according toUSA Today. During the attack, the girl was scratched and suffered a single bite, per the paper. The extent of the boy’s injuries weren’t immediately clear.There have been no reported additional attacks since Thursday and Friday, but officials have warned the public to remain vigilant.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free weekly newsletterto get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.“If you live in that area, we ask you to be mindful of your surroundings and to please keep a close eye on your children when they are outside,” the Oglethorpe County Fire & Rescue Department said.The Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office and Oglethorpe County EMS did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.

An “aggressive” bobcat has attacked two children and two dogs in a rural town in Georgia, authorities said Sunday.

The Oglethorpe County Fire and Rescue Departmentsaid on Facebookthat the bobcat attacked the children around 6:30 p.m. local time Friday in the area of Melton and Williams McCurley roads in Winterville.

The two children who were attacked were a boy and a girl, with the youngest victim being 3 years old, department spokesperson Cody Gibbs told PEOPLE in a statement on Monday.

The department said they have notified the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Public Health, the Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office and the Oglethorpe County EMS.

The two attacks on the children happened within 15-20 minutes of each other, the spokesperson added.

USA Todayreported that the boy and girl were playing outside their homes less than a quarter mile apart when the incidents unfolded.

According to Gibbs, both victims were taken to local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries, and while it is unknown whether the bobcat was rabid, the children were treated as if it was.

Two dogs were attacked in the same area the night before their attack, Gibbs said.

“We suspect it’s the same animal that attacked all of them,” he added, noting that it’s a “definitely strange set of circumstances.”

While treating the girl at the scene, the response teams learned about the boy’s attack, according toUSA Today. During the attack, the girl was scratched and suffered a single bite, per the paper. The extent of the boy’s injuries weren’t immediately clear.

There have been no reported additional attacks since Thursday and Friday, but officials have warned the public to remain vigilant.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free weekly newsletterto get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.

“If you live in that area, we ask you to be mindful of your surroundings and to please keep a close eye on your children when they are outside,” the Oglethorpe County Fire & Rescue Department said.

The Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office and Oglethorpe County EMS did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.

source: people.com