Press Release: ANIMAL SERVICES RECEIVES POSITIVE RABIES TEST

[Tenille Fox]

Media Contact:

Tenille Fox, Communications Specialist

Orange County Animal Services

Phone: 919.932.4962

tf...@orangecountync.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ANIMAL SERVICES RECEIVES POSITIVE RABIES TEST

ORANGE COUNTY, NC (March 5, 2026)—Orange County Animal Services has recently received a positive rabies test, according to the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health. This incident involved a raccoon and occurred near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Umstead Drive in Chapel Hill, NC. For more information and statistics about rabies in North Carolina, visit The North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services (NCDHHS). 

This case originated on March 4, when Animal Control received a report that a person had contact with an injured raccoon while trying to move the animal off of the road. Animal Control retrieved the raccoon for rabies testing.

Rabies is a fatal, viral infection that can be transmitted to animals and people. Animal Control urges people to be cautious about interactions with wildlife or any unfamiliar animals when spending time outdoors, and make sure pets are current on their rabies vaccinations. Your veterinarian is the best source of information on vaccinations for your pet.

HOW IS POSSIBLE EXPOSURE TO RABIES HANDLED?

• PEOPLE: When needed, a communicable disease expert from the Orange County Health Department evaluates the risk of rabies exposure to humans. A decision about the post-exposure prophylaxis that protects people from rabies is based upon an assessment of all the factors involved in the situation. Rabies spreads to people and animals via saliva, usually through bites, scratches, or direct contact with mucosa (e.g. eyes, mouth, or open wounds).
• PETS: When there is “a reasonable suspicion of exposure,” a dog, cat, or ferret with a valid rabies vaccination history must receive a booster shot within 96 hours (4 days). By contrast, an unvaccinated cat or dog must either be euthanized or quarantined for a period up to four (4) months (or six (6) months for a ferret).
• LIVESTOCK: The North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services is contacted about any livestock that may have exposure to rabies.

All mammals are capable of being infected with and transmitting rabies. In North Carolina and other areas, rabies is commonly found in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats. Bats are a host species of rabies in our region and other areas. In our country, most cases of rabies in humans have been traced to bats. If there is any possibility of rabies exposure from a bat, it is critical that citizens immediately contact their animal control program. If possible rabies exposure (such as an animal bite to a human) occurs outside regular hours of service, an Animal Control Officer should be reached right away through Emergency Communications (9-1-1).

DID YOU KNOW?

• Rabies virus can be transmitted through secondary saliva exposure when handling an animal, so do not touch your pet without gloves if it has had any possible exposure to rabies.
• Wild animals may be active during daylight hours for a variety of reasons. Simply seeing a wild animal during the day does not mean the animal is sick or infected with rabies. However, people should keep their distance and refrain from approaching wild animals.
• It is a law in North Carolina that dogs, cats and ferrets older than four months must have a current and valid rabies vaccination at all times.
• If a rabies suspect animal is alive, do not attempt to capture the animal. Keep visual contact with the animal until an Animal Control Officer arrives. 
• If you discover a bat inside your house, be sure not to release it, but do remove yourself and any animals from the area.
• Always call Animal Control immediately if you find a bat in your home even if there is no evidence of a bite.

For information on preventing conflicts with wildlife, visit www.ncwildlife.org/connect/have-wildlife-problem. If you have general concerns or questions about wildlife, you may also call the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Helpline at 866-318-2401. For more information about Orange County Animal Services, visit www.orangecountync.gov/AnimalServices or call 919-942-7387. Animal Services will be hosting low-cost rabies vaccination clinics in 2026, please visit www.orangecountync.gov/308/Low-Cost-Clinics for dates and important details.

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