Rabid cat triggers health alert for Town Center/UNF area

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Health in Duval County issued a rabies alert Thursday, following the discovery of a rabid cat in the Town Center and UNF area of Jacksonville’s Southside.

The rabies alert extends south by Old Canal Road, north by Blue Stream Drive, west of the Interstate 295 East beltway and east by Cedar Swamp Creek.

Health officials urge pet owners to ensure that pets receive all rabies immunization shots as rabid wild animals can infect animals that have not been vaccinated.

Rabies is a disease of the nervous system and can be fatal to warm-blooded animals and people. The only treatment for human exposure to rabies is rabies-specific immune globulin and rabies immunization.

“I’m not a native to Florida so everything here has been a wakeup call to me so I’m hesitant to wildlife here. My eyes are always open,” Kelsey McDonough said.

Dorothy Perry owns a dog named Dusty. She said it’s scary for her pet, and she wants to take precautions to make sure Perry remains safe from rabies.

“It’s scary,” Perry said. “It’s really scary because I don’t want them to get it and I don’t want to get it. I already had the shots and it’s no fun. He was attacked at eight months.”

Perry said the dog that attacked Dusty also injured her by causing her to bleed. And that’s when Perry experienced her first rabies scare.

“We didn’t know if it was rabies or not. The dog never got checked. The one that attacked him,” Perry said.

When people are suspected of being infected with rabies, they must undergo a series of shots to prevent the brain from becoming diseased, which ultimately causes a person to die. Perry said following the attack, she received painful shots for several weeks.

“They put the shot in the wound. I had cuts. I almost fainted in the hospital,” Perry said.

DOH suggests to follow these tips to stay safe:

• Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all pets

• If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately and contact the Florida Department of Health in Duval County at (904) 253-1280.

• Call your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood.

• Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals by leaving pet food outside, or garbage cans open.

• Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.

• Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly.

• Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools, and other similar areas, where they might come in contact with people and pets.

• Persons who have been bitten or scratched by wild or domestic animals should seek medical attention and report the injury to the Florida Department of Health in Duval County at (904) 253-1280.

For more information, Floridahealth.gov.