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CONCORD - Another raccoon was killed over the weekend that has tested positive for rabies. This is the third confirmed case of rabies here in Pike County since the beginning of the rabies season. Homeowners need to be on the lookout for animals that are acting strangely—nocturnal animals out during the daylight hours, etc.—and make sure that your pets are up to date on their rabies vaccinations.
In this case, a raccoon walked up into a yard with a dog and children playing outside during daylight hours. The owner of a home in the Pedenville area shot the raccoon because it was walking like it was drunk and out during daylight hours.
Confirmation from a test on the head confirmed that the animal was rabid. The owner of the dog has been asked to quarantine the animal as a precautionary measure.
Pet owners around the entire county should check your pet’s vaccination records to ensure that pets are up to date on their required rabies vaccinations and just keep an eye out for animals that are acting strangely. Some may be overly aggressive and some may be walking like they are drunk. Put this together with animals that are nocturnal (normally not seen during the day because they are active at night) and there is a possibility of rabies in the animal.
According to the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), rabies is normally seen in wild mammals such as raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes. According to the website, rabies is “rare in small rodents such as squirrels, rabbits, beavers, chipmunks, rats and mice, muskrats, hamsters, gerbils, porcupines and guinea pigs.” Rabies can be spread to domestic livestock and dogs and cats through a bite by infected animals that can spread infected saliva. Click here to read more about rabies.
State law requires the vaccination of dogs, cats, and ferrets against rabies on a yearly basis. Residents can fulfill this requirement through the services of a licensed veterinarian.
If you notice any animal acting strangely or aggressively, do not approach the animal and call 911. If you kill a possibly rabid animal, do not shoot it in the head so the head can be sent off for testing and contact 911 so they can ensure that the animal is retrieved for testing. The Pike County Sheriff’s Office will respond to 911 calls about animals suspected of rabies and will contact Animal Control Officer David Allen to retrieve the dead animal for rabies testing.
Click here to read the past article about rabies.