Northdale Rabies Watch Remains Active

Northdale pet owners are being asked to remain on high alert as Hillsborough County continues its efforts to prevent the spread of rabies to other communities.

The county announced a confirmed case of rabies in a cat in the Northdale area last week and began trapping strays in that neighborhood over the weekend. Three cats were trapped this past weekend, said county spokesman Willie Puz.

Trapping efforts are ongoing, he said Monday, Aug. 5.

“Any cats trapped will be quarantined,” the county said in an email to media. “Efforts will be made to reunite any of these cats with their owner at the end of the quarantine period.”

The cat that tested positive for rabies came from the Sand Lake Court neighborhood, the county said.

Trapping strays is not a typical practice in Hillsborough, but rabies is also a public health concern, officials said. 

Rabies is a virus that “infects the central nervous system, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control website. Early symptoms of human exposure include headaches, fever, weakness and discomfort. The virus is typically spread through bites from a rabid animal.

Northdale residents who are missing cats can check with Hillsborough County Animal Services to see if their pets have been brought to the Falkenburg Road shelter. The number to call is 813-744-5660.

Puz said the alert is specific to Northdale at this time.

Pet owners, however, should be mindful of the potential for rabies no matter where they live. To help prevent the spread of the disease, the Florida Department of Health recommends residents:

• Keep their pets properly vaccinated.
• Stay away from unknown animals, including dogs and cats, livestock, free roaming foxes, skunks, raccoons and so on.
• Keep pets confined to their own property and provide them with supervision when outdoors.

The warning to keep cats indoors stands until further notice, according to the county.

Stay with Carrollwood-Northdale Patch for updates as they become available.