On Friday, July 22, 2022 at 11:42 am, Gaston County Police Animal Care and Enforcement was notified of a positive rabies specimen that was sent to the North Carolina State Lab byCarolina Wildlife, an area wildlife rehabilitator.
On Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at 7:30 am, a raccoon, appearing to be sick, was located by a resident in the 1000 block ofBrookwood Drive, Stanley, NC. The resident captured the raccoon and transported it to Carolina Wildlife Conservation Center the same day. After examining the animal, Carolina Wildlife determined that the raccoon needed to be euthanized and tested for rabies. Carolina Wildlife sent a rabies specimen to the North Carolina State Lab on Thursday, July 21, 2022. The raccoon tested positive for rabies.
Animal Care and Enforcement completed a neighborhood canvas in the 1000 block of Brookwood Drive, Stanley, NC to notify the community of the positive rabies result and to verify rabies vaccinations for family animals in the area. Gaston County Animal Care and Enforcement also notified the Gaston County Department Health and Human Services.
The Gaston County Police Animal Care and Enforcementstresses the importance of having an up-to-date rabies vaccination for all of your pets. By keeping your pet’s current on their rabies vaccines, you are protecting them from contracting the disease from wildlife and spreading the disease to your family and other animals, and people in the community. Furthermore, it is important to never handle or transport sick wildlife. The animal could have rabies. Gaston County residents should contact Gaston County Police Animal Care and Enforcement to capture and transport sick wildlife.
This represents the seventh confirmed rabies case in Gaston County this year.
No further information is available at this time.