Rabid raccoon killed by dogs in a Charlotte backyard. What neighbors need to know.
A Charlotte homeowner’s bulldog and two German shepherds “attacked and killed” a raccoon this week that tested positive for rabies, an Animal Care & Control spokeswoman said Thursday.
The raccoon became the second of the year in the area to test positive for the disease after apparently being killed by a homeowner’s dogs, officials said.
Residents in the Freedom Drive area of west Charlotte received an alert Wednesday night from the Mecklenburg County Health Department that the animal had rabies.
The dogs killed the raccoon in their owner’s backyard, Melissa Knicely, spokeswoman for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Animal Care & Control Division told The Charlotte Observer.
“All 3 dogs had up-to-date rabies vaccines and will just need booster shots in next 5 days,” Knicely said in an email.
Officials urged anyone with questions about potential exposure to call Callyn Niesen at 980-314-9198.
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Another rabid raccoon killed by dogs
Another raccoon, in Charlotte’s 28210 zip code, tested positive for rabies on Jan. 10, Knicely said. That area of south Charlotte includes the SouthPark and Quail Hollow communities.
The homeowner’s two Australian shepherds likely killed or injured the raccoon, although the officer who responded to the home the following morning was told only where to find the dead raccoon, Knicely said.
A dog sitter let the dogs out, and she found the raccoon either injured or sick near the steps, Knicely said.
The dogs also had up-to-date rabies vaccines and will need booster shots in the next five days, she said.
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What to know about the rabies virus in Charlotte
The rabies virus attacks the central nervous system of mammals, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The virus can cause brain disease and death if left untreated, officials said.
Last year, Charlotte and Mecklenburg County had 14 confirmed rabies cases — 10 raccoons, three bats and a fox, Animal Care & Control figures show.
Health workers also confirmed 14 cases in 2022, including 11 raccoons, two foxes and a bat.
That was down from 21 cases in 2021 and near even to the 15 confirmed cases in 2020,.
Details about the rabies virus, human exposure and how to protect yourself are available on the Mecklenburg County Health Department website.
