PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (WCAX) – Clinton and Essex County health officials are warning residents to be on the lookout for potentially rabid animals.
The message comes as neighboring Essex County is having an active rabid animal season with five cases confirmed out of 24 animals tested so far this spring. confirmed cases include one woodchuck, two raccoons, and two skunks. The county had a total of 13 positive cases.
Essex County program coordinator Andrea Whitmarsh says the USDA’s updated bait drop maps will be released this summer and will be placed throughout the county in August. In the meantime, she advises residents to vaccinate their pets and to also mitigate their encounters with wildlife. “Try to leave wild animals alone and reduce your interactions. Reduce any kind of reason to be drawing animals into your yard, do not feed your animals outside if at all possible. So again, all of those basic things trying to really reduce interactions between pets, people, and wildlife,” she said.
Whitmarsh says county officials were able to vaccinate more than 140 pets at the most recent clinic.