North Bloomfield, CA — A Northern California woman has died after being attacked by her rabid dog, authorities reported yesterday. Amelia Brushworn of North Bloomfield, California, was found dead at her home by relatives. Ms. Brushworn had been a staunch anti-vax (short for anti-vaccination) advocate both around town and on social media, making such claims that vaccinations are “poison” and a “tool of Big Pharma to reduce the Earth’s population.”
Apparently, this fringe philosophy extended to her wild-caught wolf/coyote mix, whom she didn’t inoculate. Ms. Brushworn was 38.
“We’re still gathering details,” said Animal Control Officer Ronald McDermott, “but she didn’t properly vaccinate her animal, and it came down with rabies. This is sad. People need to take care of their animals and stop with this crazy anti-science stuff.”
Anti-vaccination advocates argue that mandatory vaccinations violate individual rights to medical decisions and religious principles. These arguments have reduced vaccination rates in specific communities, resulting in outbreaks, deaths from preventable childhood diseases, and a general raising of stupidity levels. Rabies is a preventable viral disease that causes brain inflammation in humans and other mammals.
Early symptoms can include fever and tingling at the site of exposure. These symptoms are followed by one or more: violent movements, uncontrolled excitement, fear of water, an inability to move parts of the body, confusion, and loss of consciousness.
However, even after Ms. Brushworn’s tragic death, several in the community supported her decision not to vaccinate herself or any of her pets.
“All these chemicals are bad for us,” said Nevada City, CA, anti-vaccination proponent Lisa Fellows from her Main Street home. “Poisons surround us, and it’s our right as humans not to allow these foreign fluids into our bodies. Who has the right to penetrate your body like that? And if Amelia didn’t want to consent to doing that, then she died doing what she believed.”
When asked to explain what evidence she had to support her claims, Ms. Fellows bristled.
“It’s clear that pumping these vaccines into our children is poisoning them,” said Ms. Fellows, who possesses neither medical nor chemistry degrees. “The vaccines not only interfere with their natural immunity, they’re being exposed to all kinds of things like mercury. It’s simply not worth the risk. And we know what that means. Autism. And, um. Autism. You have to encourage an ‘immune response’ in the herd so that it can stay strong and control the weaker ones. Let the strong ones survive. I guess Amelia was one of the weaker ones.”
Ms. Brushworn’s dog has not been found, but animal control continues searching for him.
