Rabid Raccoon Found in Haddonfield

A raccoon found in the yard of a Haddonfield home has tested positive for rabies, the Camden County Health Department said on Saturday.

A Haddonfield resident found an injured and disoriented raccoon in their backyard on March 1. The family’s puppy was in the backyard earlier in the day, but the family didn’t see the dog interact with the raccoon.

The animal control officer for the Borough of Haddonfield was notified and the raccoon was submitted for rabies testing at the New Jersey Public Health & Environmental Laboratories (PHEL) in Trenton.

PHEL notified the health department that the animal was rabid. The puppy is current with its rabies vaccinations, but the full series has not been completed due to the puppy’s age.

The dog must be confined and observed for six months due to state regulations.

The New Jersey Department of Health and Human Services (NJDHSS) has not released the family’s name or address.

“Although rabies is a serious illness, it can be prevented by early treatment,” Camden County Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez, liaison to the Camden County Health Department, said. “If you have been bitten or scratched by a wild animal it is important that you seek immediate medical attention.”

Rodriguez provided the following tips:

• Keep vaccinations up to date for all dogs, cats, and ferrets.

• Keep your pets under direct supervision so they do not come in contact with wild animals. If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately.

• Contact your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood. They may be unvaccinated and could be infected by the disease.

Rodriguez said it’s also important to avoid direct contact with unfamiliar animals:

1. Enjoy wild animals such as raccoons, skunks, and foxes from afar. Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or liter.

2. Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home. Do not try to nurse sick animals to health. Call animal control or an animal rescue agency for assistance.

3. Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they seem friendly.

4. Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools, and other similar areas where they might come in contact with people or pets.

5. 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. Tens of thousands of people die of rabies each year in these countries.

Rodriguez said interested residents can learn more about rabies through the internet by accessing the information available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies or, residents may call the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services at 856-374-6370.