The following information was shared by Carroll County Health Department on June 12th:
A raccoon that died after a fight with a dog on June 7th tested positive for rabies.
The raccoon died after the encounter near Falstaff Court in Eldersburg, off of Ridge Road near the Walmart Supercenter. The dog, who was previously vaccinated against rabies, received a booster shot for extra protection. The Health Department is concerned that other pets or people in the area may have been exposed to the infected raccoon.
“Rabies exposure occurs through bites and scratches or saliva from the infected animal getting into the eyes, nose, mouth, or a wound of a person or another animal,” said Joe Mancuso, Rabies Program Manager at the Health Department.
Anyone who may have been exposed or whose pet may have been exposed to bites, scratches, or saliva from this raccoon can call the Health Department at 410-876-1884 for a risk assessment.
Rabies is most often seen in raccoons, cats, skunks, foxes, groundhogs, and bats in Maryland, but can sometimes be seen in other animals such as dogs, ferrets, deer, and even cows and other farm animals. “Observe wildlife and animals you don’t know from a distance, and keep your pets vaccinated,” advised Mancuso. “If you see a sick or wounded animal, or one that is acting strangely, call Animal Control at 410-848-4810.”
Area of the incident: “Falstaff Court in Eldersburg, off of Ridge Road near the Walmart Supercenter”
