12th Rabid Animal Found in Middlesex County

There have been 12 cases of rabid animals in Middlesex County so far this year, health officials report, with the most recent being a rabid raccoon found in Carteret on Nov. 24, according to TapInto.

A rabid fox was found in Colonia around that same time, and nearby Middletown reports 9 cases of rabies so far in 2015. Officials are warning residents to be alert.

The raccoon was found in the area of Tyler Ave and Oak St. on Nov. 21 in Carteret. It was found acting aggressively in a backyard by someone’s dogs, according to TapInto, and the dogs and raccoon began to fight. The raccoon was killed by the dogs, and was sent to the state lab, where tests results came back positive for rabies. The two dogs have been placed on quarantine to see if they too were infected.

Woodbridge is offering a free rabies vaccine clinic on Saturday, but it’s only for Woodbridge residents. There are no future rabies clinics scheduled this year in South Brunswick.