A raccoon killed in a fight with an Old Bridge resident's dogs was the township's second rabies case, officials said.
A raccoon killed in a fight with an Old Bridge resident's dogs became the township's second rabies case and Middlesex County's 5th in 2016. OLD BRIDGE -- A raccoon found in a township resident's yard May 28 has tested positive for the rabies virus, according to the Middlesex County Office of Health Services.
It is the second rabid raccoon in Old Bridge in 2016 and the fifth in Middlesex County, Lester Jones, the county health officer, said.
The raccoon was killed in a fight with the owner's dogs, according to a statement released by the health services office Monday.
The statement said the animal was acting strangely and aggressively before the fight with the dogs.
The dead animal was sent to the New Jersey Department of Health Laboratory for testing and the results came back positive for rabies on Friday, the statement said.
The two dogs at the residence, in the vicinity of Matchaponix Road and Englishtown Road, have been placed on 45-day quarantines and the owners have been notified to consult a physician regarding potential post exposure treatment, Jones said.
He said specialists from the health services' registered environmental health unit will be distributing rabies fact sheets within the neighborhood where the infected animal was found.
Jones said residents should report wild animals showing signs of unusual behavior to the police department. Officials recommend that residents avoid contact with wild animals and immediately report any bites from wild or domestic animals to their local health department and consult a physician as soon as possible.
Health officials also recommend pet owners make sure that their animals are up to date with their rabies vaccinations and licenses.
Rabies is caused by a virus that can infect all warm-blooded mammals, including humans. The rabies virus is found in the saliva of a rabid animal and is transmitted by a bite, or possibly by contamination of an open cut.
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