Wayne County Public Health is urging residents to use caution after a raccoon from the Lyons-Sodus area tested positive for rabies.
According to Wayne County Public Health Rabies Coordinator Robin Longer, the New York State Department of Health Wadsworth Laboratory confirmed the positive test result on June 3. The announcement comes just one week after a rabid domestic cat was confirmed in the same area.
Health officials say rabies is a fatal viral disease that attacks the central nervous system of mammals. In Wayne County, the disease is most commonly found in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats, but any unvaccinated mammal, including dogs, cats, and livestock, can become infected.
Residents are advised to avoid contact with wild or feral animals and watch for signs of rabies, including difficulty walking, lack of coordination, excessive drooling, aggression, unusual friendliness, or significant changes in behavior.
Officials say any potential rabies exposure should be reported immediately to Wayne County Public Health. Exposures can include bites, scratches, contact with saliva through broken skin, or situations where contact with a potentially rabid animal cannot be ruled out.
To reduce the risk of rabies, residents are encouraged to keep pets vaccinated, avoid unfamiliar animals, and seek medical attention immediately after any animal bite or scratch.
New York State law requires all dogs, cats, and ferrets to be vaccinated against rabies beginning at four months of age. Wayne County offers free rabies vaccination clinics annually for dogs, cats, and ferrets.
For more information about rabies, potential exposures, or upcoming vaccination clinics, residents can contact Wayne County Public Health at 315-946-5749.
