Orange County: Rabid Raccoon Reported in Chapel Hill

The second case of rabies in Orange County this calendar year happened in Chapel Hill on Thursday, according to the county government.

A release from Orange County Animal Services on Friday alerted community members to the latest case, where a Chapel Hill resident saw a raccoon “behaving strangely near his home.” The person called Animal Control, who removed the “unwell and lethargic” raccoon and took it for rabies testing by the State Laboratory of Public Health.

The message did not indicate which area of Chapel Hill the incident occurred.

Orange County Animal Services said both the resident and their dog may have had some exposure to the raccoon and are being evaluated by a communicable disease nurse from the county’s health department. As is the case with pets, if the dog was up-to-date on rabies vaccinations, Orange County said it would be able to receive a booster shot within the required window of four days following exposure. Animal Services reminded community members that dogs, cats and ferrets who are not vaccinated against rabies are subject to either quarantine for four to six months or euthanization.

As a reminder to residents, Orange County Animal Services also said the viral infection is transmitted through secondary saliva exposure, people should not touch their pets without gloves is there’s concern of a possible exposure to a rabid animal. If an animal is seen acting strangely, the county department urges people not to try and capture the animal, but instead to call Animal Control or 911.

Thursday’s incident marks the second rabies case in Orange County in 2023, as the first was reported in a skunk near Rougemont in January. Orange County experienced four reported cases across 2022.

For local pet-owners who need updated rabies vaccinations for their animals, Orange County Animal Services said it is holding a low-cost clinic on Saturday, April 22. The event will be in Mebane at the Efland-Cheeks Community Center and Park on Richmond Road from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. One-year and three-year rabies shots will be $10, which the county department must take in cash. More information about Orange County Animal Services’ low-cost rabies vaccine clinics can be found here.

Photo via Jordan Rushton.

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Orange County: Rabid Raccoon Reported in Chapel Hill

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