PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL- Florida Department of Health Laboratory confirmed today that a raccoon picked up after fighting with a dog in a Caloosa Neighborhood Thursday November 5 by Animal Care and Control was positive for rabies.

Animal Care and Control responded to a complaint on Avenue N, 33418 in unincorporated Palm Beach County about a dog fighting with a raccoon. When the officers arrived they found the deceased raccoon lying in the yard. According to the owner, her dog, a black/tan hound named Sadie fought with and killed the raccoon. Sadie is current on its rabies vaccine and will be placed in home observation for 45 days as a precaution. At this time there is no human exposure.

According to the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County this is the sixth confirmed rabid animal this year in the county. Residents in the area west of Palm Beach Gardens in the Caloosa Neighborhood should avoid contact with all wildlife and assure their pets have been properly vaccinated against rabies.

Rabies is a disease of the nervous system and is fatal to warm blooded animals and humans. The only treatment for human exposure to rabies is rabies-specific immune globulin and rabies immunization. Appropriate treatment started soon after the exposure will protect an exposed person from the disease.

The following advice is issued:

• Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all pets.
• Keep your pets under direct supervision so they do not come in contact with wild animals. If yourpet is bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately and contactAnimal Care & Control at 561-233-1200.
• Call your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood.
• Spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properlycared for or regularly vaccinated.
• Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or litter.
• Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.
• Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly.
• Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools, andother similar areas where they might come in contact with people and pets.

For further information on rabies, go to the Florida Department of Health website:

https://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/rabies/index.

or contact the Florida Health Palm Beach County, 561-840-4500. Animals exhibiting signs of sickness and aggressive behavior should be reported to Animal Control at 561-233-1200.