NCDOH confirms case of raccoon rabies in Ransomville

Submitted by the Niagara County Department of Health

The Niagara County Department of Health (NCDOH) confirms a case of rabies in a raccoon found in the hamlet of Ransomville, with results received on March 13.

The NCDOH submitted the raccoon for testing to the NYSDOH Wadsworth Center, Griffin Laboratory, on March 12. The confirmed rabid raccoon had an encounter with a dog on Dickersonville Road on March 11. The dog was current with its rabies vaccination and will receive a booster. There was no human exposure reported during this incident.

Animal rabies continues to be a serious public health concern in Niagara County. Bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes are all common wildlife carriers of the virus. Rabies is a viral disease that is almost always fatal to unvaccinated animals. A rabid animal can shed the virus through direct contact even before symptoms appear, and rabies can only be confirmed by submitting a laboratory sample.

The NCDOH reminds Niagara County residents of the following precautions to prevent exposure to rabies from wildlife and domestic animals:

•Do not feed, touch or adopt wild animals, stray dogs or feral cats.

•Be sure your dogs and cats are up to date on their rabies vaccinations. Vaccinated pets serve as a crucial buffer between rabid wildlife and humans, significantly reducing your risk of exposure. Dogs and cats that receive their first rabies vaccine are protected for one year. A dog or cat’s second and subsequent vaccinations will protect it from rabies for up to three years. Pets too young to be vaccinated should be kept indoors. By law, all cats, dogs and ferrets must have current rabies vaccinations from 4 months of age and on. The NCDOH conducts free rabies clinics. Dates are posted on our website as clinics are scheduled.

•Keep family pets indoors at night. Do not leave them outside unattended or let them roam free.

•Don’t attract wild animals to your home or yard. Keep your property free of stored bird seed, pet food or other attractants. Feed pets indoors. Tightly cover or put away garbage cans. Board up any openings to your attic, basement, porch or garage. Cap your chimney with screens.

•Encourage children to immediately tell adults if they are bitten by any animals. Tell children not to touch any animals they do not know.

•If a wild animal is on your property, let it wander away. Bring children and pets indoors and alert neighbors who are outside. You may contact a nuisance wildlife control officer who will remove the animal for a fee, or if there is danger, you can call your local law enforcement agency.

•If your pet has been in a fight with another animal, wear gloves to handle it. Isolate it from other animals and people for several hours. Call your veterinarian. Your vaccinated pet will need a booster dose of rabies vaccine within five days of the exposure. Unvaccinated animals exposed to a known or suspected rabid animal must be confined for six months or humanely euthanized.

 For further information on rabies, or to report an animal bite or contact with wild animals, call the NCDOH environmental division at 716-439-7444 or visit www.niagaracounty.gov/health.