2 More Rabid Raccoons Found On LI; 1 Person Had Contact: Officials

BABYLON, NY — A Babylon resident came into contact with a rabid raccoon found outside a home last week, one of two additional rabies cases confirmed in Suffolk County, health officials said.

The resident found a raccoon that appeared to be ill outside a Babylon home on Sept. 9 and came into contact with the animal, according to the Suffolk County Department of Health Services.

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The person sought medical attention and is in good health, officials said.

Suffolk County Police Emergency Service Section officers later located the raccoon and transported it for rabies testing. No other human or pet exposures were reported in connection with the animal.

A second raccoon was found dead on a Bay Shore property earlier in the week, officials said.

An animal control officer from the Islip Animal Shelter responded and submitted that raccoon for testing. There were no reported human or pet exposures in the Bay Shore case.

The Suffolk County Department of Health Services was notified by the New York State Department of Health's Wadsworth Center on Sept. 11 that both animals had tested positive for rabies.

The two cases are Suffolk County's 43rd and 44th confirmed terrestrial rabies cases since Feb. 7, 2025, health officials said.

Rabies is a potentially deadly viral disease that attacks the central nervous system. It is most commonly seen in wild animals including raccoons, bats, skunks and foxes, though any mammal can become infected.

County health officials reminded residents not to touch or transport wild animals.

Anyone who sees a raccoon behaving abnormally should call Suffolk County Police at 631-852-COPS or the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at 631-444-0250.