5th raccoon in about a month tests positive for rabies
THOMSON, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - For the fifth time in a little over a month, a rabid raccoon has been found in the CSRA – this latest one was in McDuffie County.
A McDuffie County resident on Tuesday spotted a suspected rabid raccoon at their residence in the area of Stagecoach Road.
The McDuffie County Health Department Environmental Health Section was notified and sent the raccoon to the Georgia Public Health Laboratory in Decatur for rabies testing. Test results confirmed the raccoon was positive for rabies.
Previous incidents have been in Columbia County.
Health officials said last week a raccoon was observed during the day, appearing ill, near a residence in the Cottonwood subdivision off of Dozier Road in Columbia County. The raccoon was captured by Columbia County Animal Services and tested positive for rabies.
On June 2, officials said a raccoon was observed during the day, appearing ill, near a residence in the Lamkin Woods subdivision off Tubman Road. Two vaccinated dogs were in the vicinity of the raccoon and were under quarantine. The raccoon was captured by Columbia County Animal Services and tested positive for rabies.
On May 24, a rabid raccoon was found on a public walking path near Seaton and Brentford avenues in the Canterbury Farms subdivision off Chamblin Road.
And a couple of weeks before that, another raccoon in the county also tested positive for the deadly disease.
The Columbia County Health Department Environmental Health Section recommends:
- Make sure your dogs and cats are currently vaccinated against rabies.
- Do not let your pets roam free. They are more likely to have with a rabid wild animal.
- Avoid feeding your animals outside. This draws stray and wild animals to your doorstep.
- Teach your children not to approach wild animals and animals they don’t know.
Report any of humans and domestic animals with wild animals to Columbia County Health Department Environmental Health Section office at 706-868-3330 or Columbia County Animal Services at 706-541-4077.
Copyright 2023 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
