Rabies Alert Issued In Hillsborough County

LUTZ, FL — The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County has issued a rabies alert for the Shady Pines Drive area of Lutz. The alert was issued Tuesday morning following the discovery of two raccoons that have tested positive for the disease. While the diseased animals were found in Lutz, the health department is urging all resident to be on their guard.

“All residents of Hillsborough County should be aware that rabies is present in the wild animal population and domestic animals are at risk if not vaccinated,” an email from department spokesman Steve Huard said. “The public is asked to maintain a heightened awareness that rabies is active in Hillsborough County.”

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Tuesday’s reported case is the second in recent weeks. The first rabies-positive raccoon was also found in Lutz. That animal was reported on April 21.

Alerts, Huard said, are meant to raise awareness but should not “give a false sense of security to areas that have not been named” under them.

The rabies alert issued for Lutz is expected to remain in place for 60 days. The center of the alert is Shady Pines Drive. The impacted area is bound by:

• Lake Brant to the north
• U.S. 41 to the east
• Lake Magdalene Boulevard to the south
• Lake Charles Circle, Millan De Avila and Indian Mound Road to the west

Animals with rabies can infect other wild and domestic animals. With that in mind, the health department is reminding people to get their pets vaccinated. Wildlife contact should be avoided. The agency warns people to keep themselves and their pets away from raccoons, bats, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, skunks and otters in particular.

“Rabies is a disease of the nervous system and is fatal to warm-blooded animals and humans,” Huard said. The only treatment for humans is a series of shots.

Tips For Avoiding Rabies Exposure

• Keep all pets up to date on their rabies vaccines
• If a pet is bitten by a wild animal, contact a vet immediately or the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center at 813-744-5660
• Do not handle, feed or try to attract wild animals
• Keep garbage cans properly sealed
• Do not adopt wild animals or bring them into a home
• Teach children to steer clear of unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic
• Prevent bats from entering homes and other occupied spaces by sealing up any exposed entry points
• People who are bitten or scratched by wild or domestic animals should seek medical attention and report injuries to the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County at 813-307-8059.

For more information about rabies, visit the health department online.

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