SOMERSET, N.Y. — For the fourth time this spring, the Niagara County Department of Health has confirmed that a raccoon has tested positive for rabies.
On June 3, a farmer in Somerset killed a racoon that and come into his barn and was acting strangely near his cattle.
The Health Department submitted the animal for testing to confirm that it had rabies.
The racoon had no known contact with the cattle, but arrangements were being made to isolate them for a period of observation.
Niagara County had three separate rabies cases involving raccoons in the Town of Newfane earlier this year.
Here are the precautions the Health Department wants you to be aware of 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 buffer between rabid wildlife and humans. Protect pets with rabies vaccination to reduce your risk of exposure to rabies. Dogs and cats that receive their first rabies vaccine are protected for a one-year period. A dog or cat’s second and subsequent vaccination will protect 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 four months of age and on. the Niagara County Department of Health conducts free rabies clinics, and will post those dates on our website once all arrangements are confirmed.
- 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 or other foods which may attract wild animals. 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 that 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.
All animal bites or contact with wild animals should be report to the Niagara Department of Health's Environmental Division at 439-7444.
