"Every time the dogs are out in the yard, this fox would come up to the fence barking, growling, lunging at them," Nau said.
Nau said she was scared to even let her dogs outside.
"It did not appear to be rabid or injured, but it was acting oddly," she said. "I went online; foxes are usually shy, anxious. They do not normally interact with people. So this was odd behavior."
Foxes are usually nocturnal, but according to Nau, her neighbors spotted the fox about a week ago during breakfast hours.
In another subdivision not too far from Watermark Court, pet owner James Brothers told Eyewitness News he had to snatch his nine pound dog away from a fox that lunged at it while on a walk through the neighborhood.
Brothers said he kicked the fox until he got his dog back home safely. He said he then "got my pistol out, changed loads in it and I came back looking for it, because if I had found it, I would have shot it right then."
Brothers said he compared stories with Nau after reading an article in the newspaper about her encounter.
They said authorities told them nothing could be done unless the fox did $50 worth of property damage or posed "an imminent threat." Both said they feared the fox could attack again if not trapped soon.
"If the problem could not be solved with animal control or wildlife, that I would solve the problem myself," Brothers said.
Both pet owners spoke with local animal control officers who told them state wildlife authorities have the last word about trapping foxes within Raleigh city limits.
