Rabid Bobcat Attacks Georgia Boy

A rabid bobcat attacked a 9-year-old Georgia boy leaving him with deep gashes on his leg.

Easton Burchett and his father were taking care of a dog at their neighbor’s house on Saturday, April 8, when a bobcat climbed out from beneath a Jeep and attacked the child.

"The bobcat just like a flash of light full-on attack," Easton's father, Wes Burchett, told Fox 5 News.

The wild cat clawed and bit the child’s leg.

"I was punching it because I was trying to get it off of me, then my dad grabs it and throws it," Easton said.

Then the bobcat ran toward Wes, who pulled out a pistol and shot it.

The family rushed Easton to the hospital where he received 14 stitches to close his wounds and post-rabies-exposure treatment.

"The claws didn't hurt as bad, but when he bit down on my leg, I can't explain how bad it felt. It hurt so bad," Easton said.

The Burchetts were told that the bobcat needed to be tested for rabies, but no one from the county came to get the animal.

Wes put the cat’s body in his freezer until someone from the environmental division of the county health department picked it up on Monday afternoon.

The Burchetts say there needs to be better protocols for situations like this.

"I just want better actions in case something like this happens to somebody else," said Amy Burchett, Easton's mother.

She posted an alert on social media warning the community about the rabid animal.

Banks County officials said they plan to hand-deliver letters to the community about the rabid bobcat and have discussed putting better protocols into place.

"We need a protocol on what happens next in the county. This should be a lesson. I hate that my son had to be the lesson," said Wes.