CITRUS HEIGHTS, Calif. — Skycrest Elementary School staff and parents are concerned for their students after several foxes were reported wandering across the Citrus Heights campus in recent weeks.
San Juan Unified School District officials said they first notified parents Sept. 8 when they noticed the presence of fleas inside and outside a classroom.
Foxes were being spotted next to buildings, out in the field and other places.
Grandmother Daneta McCarter told ABC10 said she remembers when her daughter told her about the recent notification from her 5-year-old grandson's school.
"He came home he had some bites on his neck, on his back and on his belly and he was scratching. They said he was scratching them real bad. But I had no clue what they were," McCarter said. "And then my daughter got some type of an email saying that there were fleas at the school."
After school district officials realized the fleas were coming from the foxes, they contracted a pest control company to take control of the situation.
"That pest control company is still working with us to monitor the situation, and make sure that if there any areas that need to be retreated. We're working on that. As well as helping us on working to relocate or encourage the foxes to move along," said school district spokesperson Trent Allen.
He says experts told them foxes are generally not aggressive with humans, but you don't want to take that risk of putting wildlife in contact with small children.
They're hoping the foxes scurry away, if not, they have traps ready to go.
"Communication is really key, especially when you got a bunch of kids running around. And to know something is better than not," said parent Eric Rusch.
