A bat and a raccoon tested positive for rabies on consecutive days in DeKalb County, prompting reminders to keep pets vaccinated and avoid contact with wildlife.
The bat tested positive Oct. 15 in the Echo Cliff Court area of Atlanta. The raccoon tested positive Oct. 16 near Meadow Rock Drive in the Stone Mountain area, according to The Champion Newspaper and a DeKalb Animal Services alert.
The Champion described the cases as the fifth and sixth announcements this year involving rabies-positive animals in the county.
Rabies circulates year-round in Georgia, and several animal cases annually are not unusual, according to DeKalb County officials. The virus affects the nervous system and typically spreads through saliva from an infected animal’s bite.
Residents should secure garbage cans, remove outdoor feeding stations that attract wildlife and supervise pets. Unusual animal behavior should be reported to Animal Control.
Dogs, cats and ferrets must have current rabies vaccinations and county registration. DeKalb offers one-year and three-year registration options, with the latter requiring a three-year rabies vaccination, according to the county’s registration page.
Owners can register pets online, by mail or in person at DeKalb County Animal Services, 3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Road in Chamblee.
Anyone bitten or scratched by a potentially infected animal should wash the wound promptly with soap and water and seek urgent medical assessment. Direct contact with a bat also warrants assessment unless a bite or scratch can be definitively ruled out, according to the CDC. Treatment can prevent rabies after exposure, but residents should not wait for symptoms.
To report an animal bite or request information, call 404-294-2996, ext. 2, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. After hours, call 404-294-2519.
