Orange County Animal Services has confirmed a positive rabies test from an incident involving a raccoon last week. OCAS says it received a report about a dog having an altercation with an aggressive raccoon near Cates Hickory Hill Lane – southwest of downtown Hillsborough – on April 24. Animal Control responded and retrieved the raccoon for rabies testing.

This incident is the fourth in Orange County during the calendar year, all of which have occurred since March and two of which have involved raccoons. Orange County Animal Services reported a rabid raccoon in Chapel Hill on April 4 and a rabid cat in Hillsborough on April 7. Another rabid raccoon was reported in Chapel Hill on March 4.

As with other instances of rabies in the community, OCAS reminded pet owners that North Carolina law requires dogs, cats and ferrets older than four months to have current and valid rabies vaccination at all times. The department offers low-cost rabies vaccination clinics to the community several times each year, where pets can get one-year and three-year vaccinations. The next clinic is currently scheduled for June 27 at OCAS headquarters, located at 1601 Eubanks Road in Chapel Hill. Visit the Orange County Animal Services department’s webpage to learn more.

The North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services’ page on rabies information and statistics can be found here.

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