2 People Exposed To Rabid Raccoons In Kings Park, Officials Say

KINGS PARK, NY — Two people received post-exposure treatment after separate encounters with rabid raccoons in Kings Park, Suffolk County health officials said.

In the first incident, a raccoon had a physical encounter with a dog outside a Kings Park residence on Sept. 28, according to the Suffolk County Department of Health Services. A person at the home was also exposed to the raccoon.

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The following day, another raccoon had a physical encounter with a dog outside a different Kings Park home, where another person was exposed, officials said.

The New York State Department of Health's Wadsworth Center confirmed on Oct. 1 that both raccoons tested positive for rabies.

Both people received rabies post-exposure treatment, county officials said. Both dogs were already vaccinated against rabies and received booster shots from their veterinarians following the encounters.

The cases are Suffolk County's 50th and 51st confirmed terrestrial rabies cases since Feb. 7, 2025, according to health officials.

They are not the first recent rabies cases reported in Kings Park. A raccoon found at Sunken Meadow State Park on Sept. 11 also tested positive for the virus. No human or pet exposures were reported in that case.

Rabies cases have continued to surface across Suffolk County this year. In September, a Babylon resident sought medical attention after coming into contact with a rabid raccoon, while a vaccinated dog in Smithtown received a booster after potentially being exposed to another infected raccoon.

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

Health officials are reminding residents not to touch or transport wild animals.

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

More information about rabies, animal bites and prevention is available through the Suffolk County Department of Health Services.