[Archived] Rabid Raccoons Found in Alexandria

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

TWO MORE RABID RACCOONS FOUND IN ALEXANDRIA

The Virginia state laboratory has confirmed that two more raccoons captured in Alexandria had rabies. On August 9, one of the raccoons attacked two dogs in the 400 block of Wolfe Street. The other raccoon was captured near the intersection of Wyatt and Commonwealth Avenues on August 4.

A total of six rabid raccoons have been found in Alexandria this year. Previously, on January 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. In early July, rabid raccoons were found in the 5500 block of Holmes Run Parkway and the 2800 block of Old Dominion Boulevard. No rabid animals were found in Alexandria in 2002.

“There has been rabies in the raccoon population in the Northern Virginia area for over fifteen years,” said Bob Custard, Environmental Health Manager for the Alexandria Health Department. “However, the incidence of rabies in the local raccoon population appears to be sharply on the increase,” Custard added.

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.

"These cases of rabid raccoons should serve as a reminder to all pet owners of how important it is to properly vaccinate their animals," said Tara Blot, Executive Director of the Alexandria Animal Welfare League. Both state law and local ordinance require that dogs and cats over the age of four months be vaccinated against rabies. “The Animal Welfare League strongly encourages cat owners to keep their cats as indoor pets as a further safety measure,” Ms. Blot added.

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

Mr. Custard 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 yards or whose pets have been exposed to wild animals should call the Alexandria Animal Welfare League at (703) 838-4774.

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