Rabid Otter Bites Dog, Man In Palm Beach County: FL Dept. Of Health

JUPITER, FL — A rabid otter bit a dog and a man Saturday in the 900 block of Marlin Drive in Jupiter, according to a Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County news release.

The otter was picked up by Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control and tested positive for rabies.

Residents in the area should avoid contact with wildlife, including feral or community cats. Suspicious animals should be reported to Animal Care & Control.

Rabies is a disease of the nervous system and is fatal to warm-blooded animals and humans if not treated.

The only treatment for human exposure to rabies is rabies-specific immune globulin and rabies immunization, FDOH said. Treatment must be started as soon as possible after the exposure to protect an exposed person from the disease.

• Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all pets.
• Keep pets under direct supervision so they don’t come in contact with wild animals. If you or your pet are bitten by a wild animal, seek medical or veterinary assistance immediately and contact Animal Care & Control at 561-233-1215.
• Call your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your yard or home.
• Spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or regularly.
• Don’t handle, feed or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans.
• Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.
• Teach children to never 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.