From Virginia Department of Health: (Montgomery Co., Va.) — A raccoon collected Friday, June 3, 2016 from Fire Tower Road west of Christiansburg has tested positive for rabies, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
This is the fifth confirmed case of animal rabies in Montgomery County and the ninth in the New River Health District this year.
One domestic animal rabies exposure to this raccoon has been reported and the health department asks any residents who may have come in contact with a raccoon or any other suspicious animal to please contact the Montgomery County Health Department at 540-585-3300 or Montgomery County Animal Control at 540-382-5795.
In addition to keeping your pets vaccinated, the New River Health District strongly advises that people take these steps to protect family members and pets from rabies:
- Avoid contact with wild animals or stray cats and dogs;
- Do not feed wild animals or stray cats and dogs;
- Report stray animals to your local animal control agency;
- Eliminate outdoor food sources around the home; and
- Keep pets confined to your property or walk them on a leash.
For more information, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/DEE/Rabies/ or call the Montgomery County Health Department at 540-585-3342.
