Rabid Raccoon Attacked 2 Dogs In Cherry Hill: Officials

CHERRY HILL, NJ — A raccoon that attacked two dogs in the backyard of a Cherry Hill home on Jan. 4 has tested positive for rabies, Camden County officials announced Friday evening.

No humans were exposed to the raccoon, who was picked up by the township’s Animal Control Officer and tested by the state Public Health & Environmental Laboratories in Trenton (PHEL).

The Camden County Department of Health and Human Services was notified by PHEL that the animal was rabid on Thursday, officials said. The dogs’ owners and the Animal Control Officer were notified of the positive result.

The Department of Health and Human Services received proof of vaccination for the dogs. The dogs received a rabies booster shot and will be under confinement and observation for 45 days.

“Rabies is a serious illness, but luckily in this case there was no human exposure and the dogs involved have been treated,” Commissioner Carmen Rodriguez, liaison to the Camden County Health Department, said. “Rabies can be prevented with early treatment, so if you have been bitten or scratched by a wild animal it is important that you seek immediate medical attention.”

Rodriguez urged county residents to observe a few simple rules, including acting responsibly as a pet owner:

1. Keep vaccinations up to date for all dogs, cats, and ferrets.
2. Keep your pets under direct supervision so they do not come in contact with wild animals. If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately.
3. Contact your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood. They may be unvaccinated and could be infected by the disease.

Rodriguez said it’s also important to avoid direct contact with unfamiliar animals:

1. Enjoy wild animals such as raccoons, skunks, and foxes from afar. Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or liter.
2. Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home. Do not try to nurse sick animals to health. Call animal control or an animal rescue agency for assistance.
3. Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they seem friendly.
4. 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 or pets.
5. When traveling abroad, avoid direct contact with wild animals and be especially careful around dogs in developing countries. Rabies is common in developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Tens of thousands of people die of rabies each year in these countries.

Rodriguez said interested residents can learn more about rabies through the internet by accessing the information available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/ or residents may call the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services at 856-374-6370.