SUFFOLK
Two dogs are being held by Suffolk Animal Control after the animals were bitten last Friday by a rabid fox. It’s the city’s 10th case of rabies for the year.
The attack happened off of Williams Road, northeast of downtown. Both dogs had expired rabies vaccinations, said Dr. Lisa McCoy, director of the Western Tidewater Health District.
Without preventive treatment, by the time someone develops symptoms of rabies, there is no cure, and the disease is fatal in almost 100 percent of cases, McCoy said.
“Pets often provide the connection between the wildlife population and our families, so it’s extremely important to have pets vaccinated,” she said.
For more information, call the Suffolk Health Department at 757-686-4919.
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Protect your family, pets, and wildlife
It is sad that these poor dogs must now either spend 6 months in quarantine or be euthanized. Their uncertain fate could have been avoided if they had been vaccinated. Pet owners can also limit their pet's risk of exposure by preventing their dogs and cats from roaming. They can help prevent the spread of disease by refraining from feeding wildlife (and discouraging their neighbors from doing the same). The availability of food encourages animals (both wild and domestic) to congregate in an area, and increases the spread of disease. Leaving food out for stray animals such as cats (who are generally unvaccinated) also draws in wildlife.
In March of this year, 3 Suffolk residents were treated for rabies exposure. They had been in contact with a stray cat, which was being fed by a neighbor and subsequently tested positive for rabies. Unvaccinated domestic animals that are allowed to roam free contribute to the spread of rabies to other domestic animals as well as wildlife. Pet owners can help reduce the spread of rabies, the risk of possibly exposing family members to rabies, as well as the potentially tragic impact on their own animals by vaccinating their pets.