HALIFAX COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) – The Southside Health District has actually released a notification about a cat screening positive for rabies.
May 25, the cat was discovered at a home in the area of Route 603 and U.S. Highway 501 in Nathalie. The Southside Health District asks anybody who might have entered into contact with a feral cat in or around the location to call the health district at 434-738-6029.
A nest of cats has actually been reported at the recycling center at that crossway, according to the health district, which says the cats are being kept track of by animal control. “If you have a pet cat and live in the area, please keep your cat home and be aware of its whereabouts. Please avoid interaction with wild or feral animals since they can carry rabies or other harmful diseases.”
The health district says, “Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. Rabies can be prevented in cats, dogs, ferrets and some livestock with a rabies vaccination. Rabies kills almost any mammal or human that gets sick from it. The rabies virus is mainly in the saliva and brain tissue of rabid animals. It can be transmitted through a bite or by getting saliva or brain tissue in a wound or in the eye or mouth.”
To secure animals and their owners from rabies, Virginia law needs that all dogs and cats 4 months of age and older be immunized for rabies by a certified vet, which vaccinations be kept existing.
The Southside Health District is advising the general public to prevent contact with bats, feral cats, roaming dogs and wild animals, especially in the location where the wild cat was discovered. See extra safety measures listed below.
Additional Steps to Protect Against Rabies Exposure:
- Do not feed roaming animals. Avoid wild animals, particularly raccoons, bats, foxes and skunks. Feed your animals inside and do not let them roam.
- Make sure your animals are immunized versus rabies and their shots depend on date. By law, all dogs, cats and ferrets should be immunized versus rabies.
- Teach kids to prevent contact with wild animals and animals they are not knowledgeable about.
- Do not deal with ill, hurt or dead animals.
- Keep wild animals out of houses by topping chimneys with screens and obstructing openings in attics, cellars and decks. Ensure trash bin have tight fitting covers.
- If you observe any roaming animals in the location, contact Halifax County Animal Control at 434-572-4292. Please do not attempt to trap or deal with roaming and wild animals.
- If you are bitten by a wild or roaming animal, do not panic. Wash the injury(s) completely with warm soapy water and contact animal control, your medical professional or the Southside Health District for more suggestions.
For extra details, see vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-epidemiology/animal-contact-human-health/ or call the Southside Health District at 434-738-6029.
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