Bernards Issues Warning About Rabies Precautions After Bernardsville Case

A week after a Bernards Township Health Officer Lucy Forgione is strongly recommending all pet owners to observe their dogs, cats and other pets that may be left outdoors — as well as keeping all vaccines up-to-date for dogs, cats and ferrets.

"If your pet is acting in an unusual manner, please contact your veterinarian," said a release from Forgione, who is health officer for several local municipalities, including Bernardsville, Basking Ridge and Long Hill Township.

Forgione also issued an advisory against the feeding or handling of stray animals.

"Many strays are fed by well meaning people who do not extend their care to current rabies shots or female neutering," Forgione said. As the increasing outdoor and unprotected stray population competes with the wild animal population for food and turf, the transmission of rabies can occur to an unvaccinated animal, thus putting all humans who handle the stray at risk, she said. "Residents are strongly encouraged from handling wild animals, even those that are newborn."

The raccoon in on Seney Drive by Anderson Hill Road, appeared sickly and was hissing at the office, Bernardsville Borough police said in mid-May. The animal's remains later tested in a state lab as positive for rabies, said animal control officers serving the area.

A raccoon had attacked a six-year-old child in a backyard on Somerset Avenue in Bernardsville at the end of April. There was no way to definitively link the raccoon that was shot with the raccoon that bit the girl. The girl's mother said the Bedwell Elementary School kindergarten student had successfully completed preventative treatment by last week.

"Rabies is a serious and fatal disease in humans when left untreated but can be cured if a person gets medical help in time," Forgione said.

Rabies is transmitted through animal bites or by the saliva of an infected animal that can enter the body through cuts, scratches, or mucous membranes, Forgione noted. Rabies is treatable, but anyone exposed must get immediate medical attention, she said.

Anyone who is bitten or scratched by a wild or stray animal should promptly wash the area with soap and water and report it to their local Police Department or Animal Control Officer.

Anyone seeing an animal acting strangely should report it to their local police department, Forgione said. Those with questions should call the Bernards Township health department at 908-204-2520.

All species of mammals are susceptible to rabies virus infection, but only a few species are important as reservoirs for the disease, Forgione said. In the United States, distinct strains of rabies virus have been identified in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and coyotes, she said. Several species of insectivorous bats are also reservoirs for strains of the rabies virus, she said.

Transmission of rabies virus usually begins when infected saliva of a host is passed to an uninfected animal, Forgione said. The most common mode of rabies virus transmission is through the bite and virus-containing saliva of an infected animal, though transmission has been documented in rare cases through such other routes as contamination of mucous membranes in the eyes, nose or mouth.

Bernards Health Department offers free rabies clinics for pets

Throughout the year, the Bernards Township Health Department sponsors several free rabies clinics for cats and dogs. Details are available online, Forgione said.

"Visit your veterinarian with your pet on a regular basis and keep rabies vaccinations up-to-date for all dogs, cats, and ferrets," Forgione said. She also urged residents to maintain control of pets by keeping cats and ferrets indoors and keeping dogs under direct supervision and leashed.

"Spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or vaccinated regularly," Forgione added.