Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – The Onondaga County Health Department reports that it has found rabid raccoons in three towns.
The raccoons were located near Cold Brook Road in the town of Spafford, Barker Street in the town of Otisco, and Shea Road in the town of Pompey.
Anyone who has had physical contact with a raccoon in those areas should contact the Onondaga County Health Department Animal Disease Control Program at (315) 435-1649.
The health department offers a number of tips to prevent exposure to rabies:
- Teach children to stay away from unfamiliar animals, either wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly.
- Wash any wound from an animal thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention immediately.
- If your family or your pet has been exposed to a bat, capture the bat and have it tested for rabies. If you awaken to find a bat in your room, or a bat is present in the room of an unattended or sleeping child or in a room with someone with a mental impairment, seek medical advice and have the bat tested.
- Be a responsible pet owner by keeping your pet’s vaccinations current. This is especially important for dogs, cats and ferrets.
- Getting your pet vaccinated can help stop the spread of rabies from wild animals to humans. The health department offers a number of clinics to help protect pets from rabies.
State Public Health Law requires that puppies and kittens receive rabies shots at 3 months old and then receive a booster shot every three years. Ferrets must receive shots for rabies every year. The health department offers a schedule of its rabies clinics at
www.ongov.net/health or call (315) 435-3165.
