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A raccoon that attacked two dogs last week at a Fannin County residence located off Skeenah Gap Road has now tested positive for rabies, according to Monica Hodskins of the Fannin County Environmental Health Department.

Ms Hodskins said, “The dogs killed the raccoon during the attack on May 13, and the raccoon head was sent to the state lab that same afternoon for testing. We received the positive rabies results late in the day last Friday, May 15.”

Neither dog involved in the incident had been vaccinated against rabies, so now their owners must decide if they will euthanize the dogs or if they will build a double penned enclosure for each dog to be placed under a six-month quarantine. The owners will contact county environmental health officials with their decision on Monday, May 18.

Health officials urge people to maintain rabies vaccinations in all their pets and livestock and to avoid all unfamiliar animals. If a person or animal is bitten or scratched by a wild animal or by an unfamiliar domestic animal, the wound should be washed with soap and water and rinsed for several minutes. Seek medical attention, immediately, and report the event to the Fannin County Environmental Health Department at 706-632-3024 with the following details:

• The geographic location of the incident
• The type of animal that was involved
• How the exposure occurred (provoked or unprovoked)
• The vaccination status of any pets involved
• Whether the aggressive animal can be safely captured and tested for rabies

For more information about rabies, call the Fannin County Environmental Health Department or log onto the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov.

Persons who may be exposed to rabies may also call Georgia Poison Control at 1-800 - 222-1222 if other local resources cannot be reached.