BRUNSWICK COUNTY — Health officials are requesting area residents to be on alert and take precautions as a raccoon has tested positive for rabies in Brunswick County.
According to a release from the county, the raccoon attacked a person — now receiving vaccinations — in the Longwood area of the county. During an incident with Animal Protective Services, the raccoon died and was sent to the N.C. Public Health Lab for rabies testing.
Human fatalities from rabies occur in people who fail to seek medical assistance, usually due to being unaware of exposure. However it can be prevented by prompt medical attention and vaccination should a person encounter a rabid animal.
The sheriff’s office and health staff are asking for the community to take proactive safety steps:
- Vaccinate your pets against rabies and keep the vaccinations current. North Carolina rabies law requires that all owned dogs, cats, and ferrets must be vaccinated against rabies by four months of age.
- Vaccinate routinely for protection, either once per year or once per three years.
- Supervise pets outdoors and keep all pets on a leash when not contained in a fenced yard.
- Do not feed pets outdoors, since pet food attracts wildlife.
- Do not feed wildlife, feral cats, or feral dogs.
- Secure garbage cans with wildlife-proof lids.
- Leave young wildlife alone — upon finding a juvenile animal that appears to need help, leave it alone and call a wildlife professional who can safely help.
But if bitten by an animal with rabies, people should:
- Clean the wound well with soap and running water for 15 minutes and contact your doctor or go to your nearest hospital emergency department for care, where medical professionals will determine if a series of rabies vaccinations will be needed.
- Report the incident immediately to the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office Animal Protective Services Division at 910-253-1738 and provide the location of the incident, a description of the animal, and as many other details as possible.
- Do not try to catch any wild animal that bites or scratches you. Call Animal Protective Services immediately and they will try to capture the animal.
- If the animal is someone’s pet, get the owner’s name, phone number, and address and provide this information to the Animal Protective Services officer. Any warm-blooded animal (mammal) can transmit rabies. The animal that bit you, depending on the species and circumstances, must be evaluated or tested for rabies.
More information can be found here.
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