Rabid Skunk Leaves 2 Cherry Hill Residents, Dogs Potentially Exposed

CHERRY HILL, NJ — A skunk found in Cherry Hill tested positive for rabies and potentially exposed multiple people and dogs to the disease, officials said Thursday.

Two Cherry Hill residents found a skunk having an altercation Friday with their two dogs in their backyard, according to the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services.

The residents trapped the skunk safely and took it to a wildlife-rescue center, which arranged to get it tested at a state lab.

County health officials were informed Thursday that the animal was rabid. The dog owners and the wildlife rescue were notified.

Two people were potentially exposed, officials said. They were advised to speak to their physicians about getting post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).

County health officials received proof of vaccination for both dogs, which will be confined and observed for four months.

Human deaths from rabies are rare in the United States, with fewer than 10 per year since 1960, according to the CDC. But rabies is deadly in more than 99 percent of cases, with no treatment once signs or symptoms emerge, so post-exposure treatment is vital for people and pets.

"Rabies is a serious illness, but it can be prevented by early treatment after exposure," said County Commissioner Jennifer Cooley Fleisher, liaison to the county health department. "If you have been bitten or scratched by a wild animal, it is important that you seek immediate medical attention."

Fleisher urged pet owners to help reduce the risk of rabies exposure through the following steps:

• keeping vaccinations up to date for all pets
• keeping your pets under direct supervision while outdoors so they are less likely to interact with wild animals.
• If your pet is bitten or scratched by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for your pet immediately.

It's also important to avoid direct contact with unfamiliar animals, Fleisher says:

• Observe wild animals such as raccoons, skunks, and foxes from afar.
• Be cautious of open garbage cans and litter, which can unintentionally attract wild animals.
• Do not adopt wild animals, bring them into your home, or try to nurse sick animals to health. Call animal control or an animal rescue agency for assistance.
• Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they seem friendly.
• When traveling abroad, avoid direct contact with wild animals and be especially careful around dogs in developing countries. Rabies is common in developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, where tens of thousands of people die of rabies each year.

For more information, visit the CDC's rabies webpage. Residents can also call the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services at 856-374-6370.