Rabid Raccoon Found in York County

By Amber Lester Tuesday, September 07, 2010

A raccoon found in the Quantico Loop area in York County's Running Man subdivision tested positive for rabies Tuesday morning.

The Peninsula Health District asks that anyone who might have been exposed to the raccoon, either through a bite, scratch or contact with saliva, contact the Newport News Health Department at (757) 594-7340. Exposures also include direct contact between your pet and the rabid animal.

Rabies is a fatal, but preventable disease carried by wild animals on the Peninsula since the mid-1980s. The local office of Environmental Health Services is contacting the immediate neighbors in the area where the raccoon was found, along with any homeowners’ association that serves the community.

The Peninsula Health District has the following recommendations for preventing rabies:

• Vaccinate your pets.

• Report all exposures to animals through bites and scratches to your doctor and the local health department.

• Enjoy wildlife from a distance; don’t feed or entice wild animals to your property.