A domestic short-haired tortoiseshell cat found in the Dover Road area of Reisterstown has tested positive for rabies, county officials confirmed, and health staff is now tracking at least one potential human exposure tied to the animal. Baltimore County Animal Services is urging anyone who might have handled the cat to get checked out by a medical professional.
According to Fox Baltimore, the Baltimore County Department of Health and Human Services confirmed on April 2 that the cat was rabid and that it had been located in the Dover Road area. The department reported that six animals in Baltimore County have tested positive for rabies so far this year, including one cat, one fox, and four raccoons, compared with eight animals during the same time frame last year.
County law requires that dogs, cats, and ferrets be vaccinated against rabies and that those shots remain current, according to Baltimore County Government. Officials advise that anyone who is bitten or scratched should immediately wash the wound, seek medical care, and report the incident so public-health staff can determine if post-exposure prophylaxis is needed. Baltimore County Animal Services can be reached at 410-887-PAWS (7297) for help or to report a potentially rabid animal.
Where to get your pet vaccinated
Baltimore County Animal Services is running a series of low-cost spring rabies clinics across the county, with the lineup including a clinic in Perry Hall on April 25 and another in Reisterstown at Hannah More Park on May 17, as reported by WBFF. Rabies vaccinations at these clinics cost $9 per pet and include a free microchip with lifetime registration and an initial Baltimore County pet license if applicable. No appointment or proof of residency is required.
TNR rules for community cats
Under the county's Trap-Neuter-Return guidelines, community cat colonies are subject to specific rules. Colony cats must be sterilized, vaccinated for rabies and FVRCP, ear-tipped, and microchipped before they are returned to their colonies, according to Baltimore County Animal Services. The program also offers trap loans and other support to residents who help manage community-cat colonies.
What to do if you were exposed
Anyone who may have had direct contact with the cat, such as a bite, scratch, or saliva exposure to broken skin, should clean the area thoroughly and seek medical care right away. Rabies is almost always fatal once clinical symptoms appear, but it is preventable with prompt post-exposure prophylaxis, according to the CDC. PEP typically includes wound care, administration of rabies immune globulin when indicated, and a series of rabies vaccines, with local public-health staff evaluating the level of exposure risk and advising whether PEP is necessary.
Pet owners are being urged to review their animals' vaccination records and use the spring clinics to make sure their pets are protected. Anyone who finds a sick or injured animal, or believes they may have been exposed to rabies, should call Baltimore County Animal Services at 410-887-PAWS (7297).
