Raccoon with rabies caught in northeast Forsyth county, officials say

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County officials say a raccoon captured near Crooked O Trail in Gainesville tested positive for rabies.

The raccoon was captured on Feb. 21 after a resident reported a rabid animal to Animal Services, according to officials.

“The resident that reported the rabid animal did a great job of calling Animal Services to report the possibly rabid raccoon,” Forsyth County Animal Services Supervisor Haley Brown said. “The prompt report of the animal allowed for Animal Services to respond quickly and capture it for testing.”

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The county said they haven’t gotten any reports of human exposure to the rabid raccoon, and public officials will notify anyone who has been exposed to the risks and tell them to seek medical treatment, if needed.

“Encounters between wild animals and domestic pets, including some that involved people, have increased recently, so we encourage all residents to have their pets vaccinated against the Rabies Virus and be educated on what to do if they encounter a potentially rabid animal,” the county said in a statement.

To report a wild animal acting strangely, avoid the animal and contact Forsyth County Animal Services at  770-781-2138. If it is after business hours, contact the Forsyth County 911 Center after-hours line at 770-781-3087. To report an animal bite, immediately call the Georgia Poison Control Center helpline at 1-800-222-1222 for medical instructions.

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