On Tuesday, Aug. 18, Orange County Animal Services received positive rabies results for two bats from the North Carolina Rabies Laboratory. These are the 11th and 12th confirmed rabies cases in Orange County for 2009.
On Saturday, a resident in the vicinity of Davis and Orange Grove roads found two dead bats on her property. She called animal control to remove the bats for testing. The resident’s cats had not been seen in contact with the bats, but possible exposure could not be ruled out.
As the cats involved in this case were not currently vaccinated against rabies, North Carolina law requires that they must be either destroyed or quarantined for a period of six months. The cats’ owners are in the process of surrendering them to the county for euthanasia.
As a result of the positive test result, the case has been referred to a communicable disease (CD) nurse from the Orange County Health Department to evaluate the risk of rabies exposure so that the resident can decide whether to obtain medical treatment.
Bats are a public health concern because they are a primary host species of rabies in the area. Of the few cases of rabies in humans in the U.S. in recent years, in fact, most have been traced to bats. If there is any possibility of exposure from a bat, it is critical that citizens immediately contact their animal control program.
Good work on the part of Animal Control acting on the safe side to protect the citizens and animals of that county.
Anyone who has pets who reads this article; be sure your pets are up to date, this owner lost her cats. Rabies vaccinations are inexpensive, my cats are sure worth it.