2 wild animals test positive for rabies in Chatham, Liberty Counties this month

CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - The Chatham and Liberty County Health Departments both issued rabies alerts after two wild animals tested positive for rabies this month.

In Chatham County, a dog found a bat in a house near Bonaventure Road. Meanwhile, in Liberty County, someone reached out to the health department after seeing a raccoon acting strangely near Lake Georgia in Midway.

Both of these animals tested positive for rabies on Tuesday. The people involved in each discovery are also in touch with healthcare workers about their exposure. The dog in Chatham County was fortunately up-to-date on its rabies vaccinations, according to the Coastal Health District.

5 key tips for protecting oneself from rabies

Ginger Heidel, the Coastal Health District public information officer, recommends five key tips for protecting oneself from the potentially deadly virus:

• Avoid contact with animals you do not know.
• Make sure pets receive proper immunizations. Dogs and cats should get rabies vaccines after they are 12 weeks old, along with a booster shot within one year and vaccination every 1 to 3 years based on a vet’s recommendation.
• Do not handle, feed or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or by leaving pet food out at night.
• Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home. Do not try to nurse sick animals to health. Call animal services or a licensed animal rescue agency for help.
• Teach children to never handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they seem friendly.

If an animal is exposed, symptoms include changing behavior, biting, aggression, no fear of enemies (like humans), mouth foaming and paralysis. If an animal bites you, get medical care immediately and reach out to a local animal services office and local environmental health office.

In Chatham County, call animal services at 912-652-6575 and the Chatham County Health Department Environmental Health office at 912-356-2160.

In Liberty County, call animal services at 912-876-9191 and the Liberty County Health Department Environmental Health office at 912-368-5520.