Updated
Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Aug 18
Autauga County Fox Tests Positive for Rabies, Prompting Boosters for 2 Vaccinated Dogs
Updated
Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Aug 18

Autauga County Fox Tests Positive for Rabies, Prompting Boosters for 2 Vaccinated Dogs

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Aug 18

Summary

  • A wild fox found near U.S. Highway 82 and Autauga County Road 1 in Autauga County tested positive for rabies after a property owner reported abnormal behavior and difficulty moving.
  • State health officials said the fox was safely euthanized and submitted for lab testing, and no human exposure was identified in the incident.
  • Two vaccinated domestic dogs were deemed potentially exposed, and all animals on the property are receiving rabies booster shots as a precaution.
  • Alabama requires dogs, cats and ferrets 12 weeks and older to stay current on rabies vaccinations, which officials say help block transmission from wildlife to humans.
  • ADPH urged residents to avoid wild or strangely behaving animals, keep pets confined or leashed, and report any bites, scratches or possible exposures immediately.

Insights

Could a seemingly harmless scratch from a staggering wild animal in your neighborhood lead to an untreatable and fatal neurological disease?
What hidden dangers lurk in rural backyards that make immediate action against strange wildlife behavior a matter of life and death?