Thursday, May 11, 2023

The Florida Department of Health in Franklin and Gulf Counties say there have been a few wildlife attacks in the recent weeks and are urging residents to take precautions against rabies

The Florida Department of Health in Franklin and Gulf Counties say there have been a few wildlife attacks in the recent weeks and are urging residents to take precautions against rabies.

The Health Department is asking all residents and visitors to take extra caution while outdoors and be aware of your surroundings at all times.

Rabies is present in the wild animal population and domestic animals are at risk if not vaccinated.

All domestic animals should be vaccinated against rabies and all wildlife contact should be avoided, particularly with raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, bobcats and coyotes.

To avoid rabies, supervise your animals when they are outdoors.

Don’t let pets “roam the neighborhood.”

Stay away from stray or wild animals.

Do not touch dogs or cats that are not yours.

Never touch a bat and never feed raccoons.

Raccoons are a high-risk rabies vector and feeding them diminishes their fear of humans and encourages them to frequent areas where they may come into contact with your family or pets.

Anyone who is bitten or scratched by wild animals or strays should report the incident to their doctor immediately, as well as to the Franklin or Gulf Animal Control and their local health department.

To report an animal bite to the health department, call 850-653-2111 for Franklin County or 850-227-1276 for Gulf County.


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