Orange County Animal Services has received its ninth positive rabies test result of the year, according to the state laboratory of public health.

That number is drastically down from the 23 positive cases of rabies last year.

This incident involved a fox and originated last Wednesday when a Hillsborough resident witnessed a fox attacking his chicken coop. The resident shot the fox, according to officials, before calling animal services to have it tested for rabies.

Foxes are not the dominant host species of rabies in our area and contract it most often from contact with a raccoon.

Orange County Animal Services will offer another round of low-cost rabies vaccines early next year.

In 2012 and 2013, the county had 12 positive cases each year, before the spike last year.