A teenager bravely defended her dog from a rabid fox, after the animal snatched her dog from her home in Wewahitchka, Florida.

Sixteen-year-old Morgan Fisher says she went into "attack mode" and chased down the fox to save her dog Vinny.

Her mother, Kathie Fisher, told ABC News-13 that a week ago she was at home unloading groceries from her car, when she turned around to see a wild fox. "It just looked almost like a pet, like a dog," recalled Kathie. "Kinda stood there and sniffed the air with its head. He didn't seem mean or aggressive, it wasn't foaming out the mouth."

The fox returned the next day, and this time came after Vinny. Morgan was alerted after Vinny sounded the alarm. "I heard him barking, and I saw the fox grab him and take him out around by the neck, so I panicked and ran outside," said Morgan.

Springing into action, she grabbed the fox by the neck and started to choke it and then tried to knock the wild animal out by slamming it into a pole.

But the fox didn't give up and kept going after Vinny. So Morgan ran into the kitchen and grabbed a knife. She stabbed the fox twice. Thinking he was dead she got up, but the fox jumped up and bit and scratched her.

When sheriff's deputies arrived, they had to shoot the fox after it attempted to attack them as well. The fox was taken away and tested positive for rabies. Morgan and Vinny are all right, but both are undergoing rabies shots for the next few weeks.

Of her heroic actions, Morgan said, "I didn't want to lose him, I just got him," Morgan said. "I don't care what would have happened to me, as long as he was safe."

• rabid fox
• Florida
• Wewahitchka