Arlington County Seeks Possibly Rabid Kitten
posted 4:19 pm Fri July 06, 2007 - Arlington, Va.
A humane trap has been set in the neighborhood in an effort to capture them.
Twenty-three people who came into contact with the Residents of the Arlington Ridge neighborhood found the kitten near Fort Scott Park and took it in. The Animal Welfare League of Arlington removed the kitten from their home after it became sick, and the State Laboratory tested it for rabies. The name of the family is being withheld for privacy reasons.
Arlington Public Health Director Dr. Reuben Varghese, MD, MPH
To report a sick or injured animal, call the Animal Welfare League of Arlington at 703-931-9241.
For information on rabies, contact the Arlington County Public Health Department at 703-228-5200, option #5.
Statement from Arlington County:
There were six confirmed animal rabies cases in Arlington in 2006, all found in wild animals. During the first six months of 2007, there were four confirmed animal rabies cases in the County, three in raccoons and one in a cat.
"Typically, raccoons, bats, foxes and skunks may be infected with rabies - and these animals are all common in Northern Virginia," said Kay Speersta, Executive Director of the Animal Welfare League of Arlington. "But we need to remember that even dogs and cats can contract the disease if unvaccinated."
With summer here, residents are spending more time outdoors, and coming into more frequent contact with animals, Varghese said. "The best way to help injured or sick animals is to contact the Animal Welfare League of Arlington for their assistance," he said. "Don't feed wild or stray animals. Don't handle them."
Rabies
Rabies is an almost invariably fatal disease of the brain and nervous system. It is caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system and causes acute encephalitis. The virus is spread through the saliva of the infected mammals. Although almost any mammal can be infected, the disease most commonly appears in carnivores. Required rabies vaccinations of domestic dogs and cats has almost eliminated the disease in these pets in Virginia.
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