GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Gaston County officials confirmed the first rabies case of 2024 in a raccoon that was found dead in Belmont last week.
Gaston County Police Animal Care and Enforcement received a call about a dead raccoon at a home on Timber Ridge Road on March 1. The caller said the raccoon was found in the yard near their cat. Officials confirmed there was no human contact with the raccoon and the cat's owner said it didn't see the cat interacting with it, either.
The raccoon was collected and an investigation was launched to test it for any diseases. The raccoon was sent to a lab in Raleigh where it was confirmed that it was positive for rabies. The cat that was near the raccoon was given a rabies booster shot as a precaution, officials said.
Animal Care and Enforcement notified neighbors in the area of Timber Ridge Road and notified them of the rabies confirmation. They also verified that all pets in the area have current rabies vaccinations. Timber Ridge Road is just off South Point Road in the area of South Point United Methodist Church.
No further information was released at this time.
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