Durham County Animal Control has
confirmed yet another case of rabies in a fox today. This marks the fifth
positive rabies case and the 4th fox in Durham to test positive for
rabies since January. The only other animal to test positive this year has been
a skunk.
The rabid fox was located on
Creeks Edge Court in the Fayetteville Road area. The neighborhood is
located between Monterey Creek Drive and Crooked Creek Parkway. The neighborhood is convenient to Piney
Wood Park off Woodcroft Parkway and citizens are warned to be alert for wildlife
in that highly wooded area.
On Sunday, several citizens
called and reported a fox acting strangely and looking sick. While the fox did
not attack anyone, it was acting strangely and attacking lawn objects. The
fox reportedly went into a garage and a resident was able to get it out of the
garage using a garden tool. Another call revealed that the fox was
reported seen again and appearing sick or injured. An Animal Control Officer
responded to the area and located the fox. By then the fox had died and
was sent to the state lab for testing after a citizen
expressed concern that they may have had contact with saliva from the fox.
Animal Control officials
continue to warn citizens to stay away from wild animals and to refrain from
feeding them in their backyards. They pose a great health and safety risk
to humans and pets should they become infected with the disease. It is
better to not escalate that risk by inviting wild animals to visit residential
areas.
Animal Control does not provide
trapping for nuisance wildlife. If citizens are concerned about routine
wildlife presence in their neighborhood, they should contact a certified
wildlife removal agent such as Critter Control (919) 382-0651 or Animals Be Gone
(919) 245-3300 which service the Durham area. These services are private
and do charge for the services, but are licensed and permitted to trap and
remove nuisance wildlife. It is illegal for unlicensed or permitted
individuals to trap wildlife.
The best defense of pet owners to
help reduce the risk is to be sure to keep dogs and cats vaccinated for rabies
at all times. State Law makes rabies vaccinations for pets 4 months of age
and older mandatory.
Durham County Animal Control also
offers low cast rabies vaccinations to owners of dogs and cats for $10.00
at their office located at 3005 Glenn Road in Durham. Vaccination times
are from 10:00AM to 12:00PM and from 2:00PM to 4:00PM on Tuesdays and
Thursdays.
General rabies questions can be
answered by contacting Durham County Animal Control at 919-560-0630.
