[Archived] Raccoon Injures Dog and Cat and Attacks Person

City Press Release


	City of Alexandria, Virginia Office of the City Manager Alexandria City Hall 301 King Street, Suite 3500 Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3211 www.alexandriava.gov Telephone: 703.838.4300 Fax : 703.838.6343

PIO 108-03
For More Information Contact:
Barbara J. Gordon, Public Information Officer
City of Alexandria 703.838.4300, or

Bob Custard 703.838.4400, Ext.254
Environmental Health Manager
Alexandria Health Department

RACCOON INJURES DOG AND CAT,
ATTACKS PERSON IN ALEXANDRIA

On Wednesday evening, June 25, a raccoon attacked and injured both a dog and a cat in the 3100 block of Martha Custis Drive in the City of Alexandria. The raccoon also attacked a person near the Park Fairfax Condominiums, but did not injure the person. The raccoon then disappeared before an animal control officer arrived. The raccoon was not found. “Based on this raccoon’s abnormal behavior, we believe that this raccoon may be rabid,” said Bob Custard, Environmental Health Manager for the Alexandria Health Department.

“There has been widespread rabies in the raccoon population in the Northern Virginia area for over 10 years,” Custard said. “However, the incidence of rabies in the local raccoon population appears to be on the increase,” Custard added.

Two rabid raccoons have been found in Alexandria this year. On Jan. 14 two dogs killed a rabid raccoon on Seminary Road. On May 28 a rabid raccoon attacked a cat in the 3200 block of Valley Drive. Both raccoons were killed and sent to the state laboratory in Richmond for testing. Both tested positive for the rabies virus.

The Alexandria Health Department is asking residents to immediately report any raccoons they see acting abnormally to the Alexandria Animal Welfare League. An animal control officer will then be dispatched to capture the raccoon and remove it from the area. The Animal Welfare League can be reached at 703.838.4774.

"This incident should reemphasize the need for all pet owners to properly vaccinate their animals as required by state law and City ordinance," said Roger Townsend, Animal Control Supervisor for the City of Alexandria. "If these animals had not been vaccinated we unfortunately would have been forced to euthanize them or put them in strict isolation for six months," Townsend added.

"Rabies in humans is a fatal disease," said Dr. Charles Konigsberg, Jr., Director of Health for the City of Alexandria. "To protect themselves from rabies, citizens should not feed or touch wild animals and should be sure their pets are vaccinated," said Konigsberg.

Bob Custard, Environmental Health Manager for the Alexandria Health Department, noted that rabies is commonly found in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats. "It is especially important that people not attract wildlife to their yards by feeding their pets outdoors," Custard said. "Storing garbage in animal-proof metal or plastic trash cans rather than in plastic bags will also reduce the number of wild animals attracted to your yard," Custard said.

Alexandria residents who are having problems with wild animals in their yard or whose pets have been exposed to wild animals should call the Alexandria Animal Welfare League at 703. 838.5050.

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