ELLERBE — A raccoon involved in an incident with two dogs earlier in the month tested positive for rabies.
According to Richmond County Health Director Heather Horne, a raccoon came into contact with two dogs in the area of Concord Church Road and Everett Chappell Road, northwest of Ellerbe, on May 5. At least one of the dogs was bitten.
The raccoon, which was “euthanized” by the dog’s owners, was sent to the state lab, and reportedly tested positive for rabies.
According to Horne, both dogs were unvaccinated and were euthanized on May 7.
“All species of mammals can contract rabies,” according to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. “In North Carolina, rabies is most commonly found in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats. However, other species, such as deer, coyote and bobcats, have been found to be infected with rabies.”
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are fewer than 10 rabies-related deaths in humans reported each year, and contact with infected bats is the leading cause of human rabies deaths.
This is the first reported case of rabies in Richmond County this year, Horne said.
Since 2020, the county has had two reported cases of rabies— one involving a fox, the other involving a raccoon — according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
In the case with the fox, in August of 2020, a man was reportedly bitten in Ellerbe and went through treatment.
The RO, citing the previous health director, previously reported that there had been at least seven cases reported from 2015-2017.
Since Aug. 1, 2008, NCDHHS reports show there have been two bobcats, one cat, one dog, three foxes and nine raccoons to test postive in the county.
Horne urges Richmond County residents, especially those in the northern part of the county “to be very cautious when they are near animals they do not know and any wildlife they may encounter.”
She also encourages owners to keep their pets updated on vaccinations.
State law requires that dogs, cats and ferrets be vaccinated against rabies starting at four months old, though Horne said they can be vaccinated as young as three months.
