Have pets vaccinated against rabies, report unusual animal behavior 

Tallahassee – The Florida Department of Health in Leon County reminds residents to avoid contact with wild and stray animals to protect themselves from the risk of rabies exposure.

In Florida, raccoons, bats, foxes and unvaccinated cats are the animals most frequently diagnosed with rabies. Other animals that are at high risk for rabies include skunks, otters, coyotes, bobcats, stray or unvaccinated dogs and ferrets.

Each year, Leon County receives reports of rabid animals. The most recent incident reported to DOH-Leon was in April, when a local resident reported that a pet dog had encountered a dead raccoon. No one was injured; the dog has been quarantined and remains under observation.

“Rabies is a potentially fatal disease,” Alex Mahon, director of DOH-Leon’s Environmental Health Division, said. “It is important not to handle wild animals, to be aware of animals that are acting unusual and to keep pets vaccinated against rabies.”

Rabies can be passed through the saliva and nervous tissue of a rabid animal through a bite or scratch or through contact with the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose or mouth.

DOH-Leon works with Leon County Animal Services to respond to incidents of animal bites, tests animals for rabies through the DOH state laboratory and quarantines animals as necessary. DOH-Leon also provides rabies vaccinations to victims of animal bites, the only known effective treatment for rabies prevention in humans.

The following are steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones against rabies:

• Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all pets and at-risk livestock.
• Do not allow your pets to run free. Follow leash laws by keeping pets and livestock secured on your property. If your pet or livestock are bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately and contact Leon County Animal Services at (850) 606-5400.
• Support animal control in efforts to reduce feral and stray animal populations.
• Spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or regularly vaccinated.
• Do not handle, feed or unintentionally attract wild animals with outdoor food sources such as uncovered trash or litter.
• Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.
• Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly.
• Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools and other similar areas where they might come in contact with people and pets.
• Persons who have been bitten or scratched by wild or domestic animals should seek medical attention and report the injury to DOH-Leon at (850) 606-8350. For further information on rabies, go to https://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/rabies/index.html or contact DOH-Leon at (850) 606-8350.