RHINEBECK, N.Y. — A raccoon found in Rhinebeck has tested positive for rabies, and health officials are urgently seeking the individuals who transported the animal to a veterinary clinic, the Dutchess County Department of Health announced.
The raccoon was brought to the Rhinebeck Animal Hospital on Oct. 1 after being seen acting unusually on a local roadway. The individuals who dropped off the animal left before providing contact information or specifying the exact location where they found it.
The county health department is asking those individuals, or anyone who knows their identities, to reach out immediately so officials can assess any potential rabies exposure and offer guidance.Health officials are also advising anyone who — or whose pet — has had recent direct contact with a raccoon in the Rhinebeck area to call the department as soon as possible.
Post-exposure treatment must begin promptly, as rabies targets the central nervous system and is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear. The virus is typically transmitted through the saliva of infected animals via bites or scratches.Residents are reminded never to approach wild animals.
Anyone who observes an animal acting strangely, or who suffers a bite or exposure to saliva or nervous tissue from a wild or domestic animal, should report the incident to health authorities right away.Anyone with information or potential exposure is asked to call the Dutchess County Department of Health at (845) 486-3404 during regular weekday hours, or at (845) 320-1656 on nights and weekends.
