SCHAEFFERSTOWN After watching horrifying footage of two snowmobile riders pursuing a fox mercilessly and seemingly running it down many times, residents in this remote area of Lebanon County were terrified.
However, according to two witnesses who were contacted by PennLive on Monday, including one who captured footage that was given to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the fox was left alive but weary.
Neither witness who witnessed the Jan. 20 fox pursuit from their residences in Heidelberg Township’s Linda Sue Gardens complex wanted their names to be made public.
Someone claimed to have struck it. However, the first witness stated, “I saw it; they just chased it.” I would have leaped out and screamed at them if they had struck it.
The destiny of the fox has not been made apparent by the game commission. The two riders, ages 17 and 20, turned themselves in Friday, and Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf said she is awaiting information from the commission to decide whether to file criminal charges against them.
According to the person who took the video, her husband gave it to the game commission that same day. It all started when her little boy saw the snowmobiles tearing through the farmer’s field directly behind their home.
The second witness told PennLive, “My son thought that was really cool when he saw the snowmobiles outside.” For a time, we sat in the window and observed them.
However, what the mother and son saw wasn’t cool: the two snowmobile riders were pursuing a fox with a lot of vigor.
I’m thinking, “I don’t think that’s right,” after seeing an innocent fox. So she picked up her phone and started recording the chase on camera.
According to both witnesses, there were two foxes in total. Early in the chase, one fled. They say the second was pursued until he was exhausted.
According to the first witness, one of the two foxes fled, PennLive said. They can avoid obstacles because of their amazing reflexes. The other was worn out. breathing heavily, tongue hanging out. As in, breathing heavily.
According to the first witness, that was the end of the chase. The fox halted when the lone child approached from behind. It was halted, so they didn’t run it over. It was helpless, completely helpless.
The second witness reported seeing the weary fox trot off. One of the snowmobilers may have followed it further, she added. She said, “I don’t know what happened then.”
The video elicited significant reactions from the rural community. A local company set up a tip reward pool that raised over $2,000 in donations.Bachleda Studios declared on Monday that since the two motorcyclists handed themselves in, the money would be reimbursed.
For the fox, many people here feared the worse.
About a mile from the scene of the chase, a woman was packing groceries into her car at the Dutch Way restaurant and grocery. She stated, “I heard that it was run over, but I do not know.”Running a snowmobile over a live fox is not a good idea.
According to a worker at Good’s Store, which is situated in the same shopping area, word that the fox had been slain spread to nearby churches and schools as well.
According to the sales associate, people are claiming that they chased the fox, ran it over, and killed it. Many believe it was run over and murdered. That’s the prevailing narrative.
Todd Snyder, a resident of Heidelberg Township, said the footage of the fox fleeing from the two snowmobile riders was horrifying enough.
“I find it awful, and I don’t believe that’s typical for people in this area,” he remarked. In a wide field, that fox had little chance.
Snyder gave gratitude to the filmmaker who captured the tape for exposing the unsightly animal abuse incident.
“That’s just being a good member of the community,” he remarked.
Snyder added that he was grateful that both cyclists were taking responsibility for their errors.
“I think that whoever did it turned themselves in is admirable,” he remarked.
According to Snyder, it is now the DA’s responsibility to make a statement and establish a precedent in the case.
Many in rural Lebanon County feared the worse for the fox as footage showed two snowmobile riders pursuing it relentlessly in this area.Luciew John