Rabid raccoon found on Jarvis Street in Charlotte County

A rabid raccoon found on Jarvis Street in Charlotte County has prompted pet quarantines and raised awareness about the dangers of rabies.

"May 29th — our officer, who was the after-hours officer, received a call from the animal owner for a deceased raccoon in his yard. He was not sure if his dogs had come into contact with it, but for protocol reasons, we have to go out and collect the raccoon and send it off for testing. Then we place his animals under quarantine," said Colby Mazzoni, a senior animal control officer for Charlotte County.

Charlotte County Animal Control confirmed the raccoon tested positive for rabies. The dogs that may have come into contact with the raccoon are now under quarantine as a precaution.

Mazzoni said rabies is highly transmissible and has been detected in three animals in Charlotte County over the past two years.

"It's transmitted through saliva. So bites, scratches, stuff like that. Yes, people can get it. And if you know your bit scratched or come into contact with something, you obviously should reach out to your doctor and go through the post-exposure," Mazzoni said.

One Jarvis Street resident said he is keeping his dogs indoors and walking them on a leash until the quarantined dogs are cleared.

Mazzoni explained the symptoms of rabies in dogs, saying, "There's usually symptoms for it. Usually, dogs might act more aggressive. They might have, you know, people will say the foaming at the mouth, the extra saliva, they might be kind of confused and stumbling around a little bit like a drunk person."

Charlotte County Animal Control is urging residents to contact them immediately if they observe any signs of rabies in animals.