2nd Rabies Alert Issued In Northwestern Hillsborough

TAMPA, FL — The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County has issued a rabies alert in the Westchase area after a domestic short hair cat tested positive for rabies.

The health department issues alerts to raise public awareness within the area where rabies was detected, but officials warn being outside of the boundaries doesn’t mean pets and people are safe from the disease.

“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,” the department wrote in an email to media. “The public is asked to maintain a heightened awareness that rabies is active in Hillsborough County.”

This is the second confirmed case of rabies in Hillsborough County in 2016 so far. The first was reported Feb. 17 in the Citrus Park area.

The latest alert will stand for 60 days covering an area bound by the Tampa Bay Trail to the east, Hillsborough Avenue to the south, West Waters Avenue to the north and Southern Brook Bend to the west. The center of the alert area is Mallory Square Drive.

The department strongly urges residents to keep their pets’ vaccinations up to date and to keep them away from wild animals, such as bats, raccoons and foxes.

If a pet is bitten by a wild animal, residents are asked to call the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center at 813-744-5660. People bitten or scratched by wild or domestic animals are urged to get medical attention and to report the injury to the health department by calling 813-307-8059.

To learn more about rabies and how to prevent its spread, visit the health department online.

Image via Shutterstock

Sign up for the Westchase Patch newsletter and alerts!

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, too!