Department of Health issues rabies alert for Town Center/UNF area in Jacksonville

ActionNewsJax.com News Staff
·2 min read

A rabies alert has been issued for Duval County.

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The Florida Department of Health issued the alert for the Town Center/UNF area and is in effect through Mar. 1, 2024.

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According to the DOH, the rabies alert area is boarded on the south by Old Canal Road, on the north by Blue Stream Drive on the west by I-295 East Beltway, and east by the Cedar Swamp Creek.

The alert was issued after a rabid cat was discovered in the Town Center/UNF area.

“As a precaution, pet owners should maintain control of their pets at all times and be certain that each has received current rabies immunization shots from a licensed veterinarian,” the DOH said in a statement.

Contact with wild animals should be avoided. These include raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, bobcats, and coyotes.

The DOH describes rabies as a disease of the central nervous system and is fatal to warm-blooded animals and humans. The only treatment for human exposure to rabies is rabies-specific immune globulin and rabies immunization. Appropriate treatment started soon after exposure will protect an exposed person from the disease.

The DOH has issued the following advise:

  • Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all pets.

  • If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately and contact the Florida Department of Health in Duval County at (904) 253-1280.

  • Call your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood.

  • Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals by leaving pet food outside, or garbage cans open.

  • Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.

  • Teach children never to 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.

  • Persons who have been bitten or scratched by wild or domestic animals should seek medical attention and report the injury to the Florida Department of Health in Duval County at (904) 253-1280.

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For further information on rabies, go to the Florida Department of Health website: http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/rabies/index.html, contact Florida Department of Health in Duval County, (904) 253-1280, or contact Animal Care and Protective Services (904) 630-CITY (2489).

Rabies Alert Boundaries

  • North – Blue Stream Drive

  • South- Old Canal Road

  • East – Cedar Swamp Creek

  • West – I295 East Beltway

Rabies alert for the Town Center/UNF area.
Rabies alert for the Town Center/UNF area.

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