Four cases of rabies in animals have been confirmed in Genesee County, according to a press release just sent to local media by the County Health Department.
The four animals confirmed were a raccoon, bat, skunk and cat.
The health department encourages residents to stay away from wild animals and be suspicious of animals that are especially tame or aggressive.
And do not feed the raccoons.
Full press release after the jump:
The Genesee County Health Department advises all residents that Genesee County has had four (4) laboratory confirmed cases of rabies in animals in the past month. The animals vary in species including a raccoon, bat, skunk and cat.
The Genesee County Health Department reminds residents to avoid contact with any wild animal or stray animal, especially cats. Be suspicious of wild animals that are unusually tame or aggressive, especially those which attack your pets. Do not attract raccoons to your yard by feeding them.
If you see a wild animal, especially a raccoon, bat, skunk or fox, stay away; keep children and pets away or indoors, and let the animal go away on its own.
If you are bitten, scratched or have contact with an animal you believe to be rabid, immediately wash the wound. Capture the animal, if possible, so it can be tested, taking care to prevent additional bites or damage to the animal’s head. Contact the Genesee County Health Department at (585) 344-2580, ext. 5569 and seek medical treatment.
For more information on rabies, vaccination clinics, or to report an incident, contact the Genesee County Health Department at (585) 344-2580, ext. 5569.
This is just helping to prove
This is just helping to prove my skunk argument. We need a real animal control officer in the city and county.
And how do you propose we pay
And how do you propose we pay for an animal control officer?
We, in Batavia, had an animal
We, in Batavia, had an animal and pest control person for years. He would come whenever he was called, be it a bat in the house or a critter in the back yard.
Telling residents, if they have been bit by a wild animal that they should capture the animal (imagine the trauma of that after being bit), be careful not to HARM the animal - especially in the head...thus keeping the animal intact for a necropsy, then contact the proper authorities is asking too much.
I don't know who's budget our old animal control person fell under, I almost think it was the police department.
Train and equip a couple
Train and equip a couple regular police officers for animal control. Theyll serve as normal police but when a pest call comes in well have people trained and equiped to handle the situation.