MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama Department of Public Health is urging people to keep their pets vaccinated against rabies after a raccoon in Lee County and a fox in Elmore County tested positive for the disease.
On May 1, the raccoon was spotted acting strangely near Auburn, and the fox emerged from a wooded area and attacked a person in Tallassee. The person has sought medical treatment.
Dr. Dee W. Jones, State Public Health Veterinarian for the Alabama Department of Public Health, said rabies is not seasonal, and cases continue year-round, but late spring is a time when activity peaks, particularly in wildlife. He said it is not common for people to have direct contact with wildlife, but this instance certainly reminds us that it can happen…