Orange County Animal Services reported its second positive rabies case in the span of two weeks on Tuesday, this time from a skunk.

A release from the department said the case stems from an incident on Friday, December 15 near Cole Mill Road and Umstead Road — which is close to the Orange County line with Durham. Residents reportedly called Animal Control after seeing a skunk exhibiting “strange and aggressive behavior outside of their home.” The animal was removed for rabies testing, with the positive results coming back from the state lab on Tuesday.

The case marks the seventh reported in Orange County for 2023 and the third this year involving a skunk. The first case in the calendar year involved a rabid skunk in Rougemont, while the other skunk-related case happened in Hurdle Mills during November. Three rabid racoons — including one reported on December 8 — and one rabid fox make up the rest of the reported incidents.

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. The county department reminded residents on Tuesday that 911 will still reach Animal Control if called outside of regular service hours.

Orange County Animal Services hosts periodic low-cost rabies vaccination clinics for dogs and cats — although cases of canine influenza in the broader community led to the latest clinics being cancelled. For more information on clinics and future dates, visit the county government’s website. Additional rabies resources from Orange County can be found here.

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