State lab confirms rabid skunk
Apr. 25—GRANITE FALLS — A skunk discovered on Midway Sand Road in Granite Falls has been found to been infected with rabies, marking the county's second case of the year.
On Tuesday, the North Carolina State Laboratory notified Caldwell County Animal Care Enforcement that a skunk submitted for testing was infected with the rabies virus. The skunk was found when it contacted several dogs.
People can protect themselves and their pets from rabies by taking a few simple precautions:
— Make sure all your companion animals are up to date on their rabies vaccinations. They should always wear their license tags.
— Supervise your pets to prevent exposure.
— If your animal is exposed to a potentially rabid animal wear gloves to protect yourself from the infectious saliva that may be on your animal's coat.
— Teach your children to stay away from wild animals, including bats or animals they don't know.
— Avoid attracting wildlife to your home by removing food sources such as food scraps and removing cat and dog food at night.
Caldwell County Animal Care Enforcement has a free rabies vaccine clinic on Saturday, April 29th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The location of the event will be at the Caldwell County Fairgrounds. Vaccines will be free for Caldwell County Residents and $10 for non-county residents. Please ensure your pets are on a leash or crated when you arrive at the event.
If there are any questions concerning rabies and/or receiving a rabies vaccination, please contact the Animal Care Enforcement at 180 Government Way, Lenoir, NC 28645 or call 828-572-4535. If there is an emergency situation outside the normal working hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, please notify the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office at 828-758-2324.
