Dead Raccoon Left At AACo Animal Shelter Had Rabies

MILLERSVILLE, MD — The Anne Arundel County Department of Health announced Thursday that a dead raccoon left at the county animal shelter tested positive for rabies, and it's looking for the person who brought the animal to the shelter Monday night or Tuesday morning.

The dead raccoon was left in a cardboard box at the rear of the Anne Arundel County Animal Care & Control building, at 411 Maxwell Frye Road in Millersville, the department said.

If a county resident or anyone else left the raccoon at the shelter, or knows the person who did, he or she must immediately call the Health Department at 410-222-7256 (weekdays) or 443-481-3140 (after business hours), the department said in a press release.

Rabies is a fatal disease, and anyone exposed to it must begin vaccines as soon as possible, the Health Department said.

Rabies is spread by the bite or scratch of an infected animal, such as a raccoon, cat, fox, groundhog or bat. It also is spread when the infected animal’s saliva comes in contact with the eyes, nose, mouth or open cut of a person or another animal.

Vaccination may be required for anyone who handled, fed or was attacked by the raccoon left at the animal shelter, the Health Department said. Preventive treatment or additional care may be required for any pets or domesticated animals that had contact with the raccoon.

The Health Department warns Anne Arundel residents to avoid feeding wild or stray animals or leaving food dishes outside. Pet owners also should keep their animals’ rabies vaccinations current.

For online information about rabies, click here. To get a free fact sheet on rabies, call 410-222-7256.

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Image: A raccoon in the wild (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service).