A skunk has tested positive for rabies. The Cleveland County Health Department was notified of the positive test on October 13, and officials say anyone bitten or exposed to the animal's saliva should seek a rabies risk assessment right away.
The finding was announced in a Cleveland County Government Facebook post, which urged residents who had contact with the skunk to call their healthcare provider or the health department at 980-484-5169 or 980-484-5100. It follows the county's September 30 confirmation of a rabid bat found on Casar-Lawndale Road, according to The Shelby Shopper. The two cases were confirmed less than two weeks apart.
A County Already Far Outpacing Last Year's Numbers
By mid-May, Cleveland County had logged 16 confirmed rabies cases, already exceeding its full-year total of nine positive cases in 2025, according to Country 103.7 FM.
Skunks have driven much of that surge. The same spring reporting noted that skunks accounted for 15 of the county's first 16 confirmed cases this year, the outlet reported, a pattern consistent with statewide trends that identify skunks and raccoons as the primary terrestrial rabies reservoirs in North Carolina. The newly confirmed Casar skunk fits squarely into that pattern.
What the Law Requires of Pet Owners
Under North Carolina law, as explained by Justia Law, dogs, cats, and ferrets must be vaccinated against rabies. The Cleveland County Health Department echoed that requirement in its own reminder, urging owners to keep pets current on their shots.
The stakes for noncompliance are steep. Per guidance from the UNC School of Government, an unvaccinated pet exposed to a confirmed rabid animal under § 130A-197 can face mandatory euthanasia or up to six months of strict quarantine, while a vaccinated pet exposed to rabies should receive a booster shot. Separately, any dog or cat that bites a human must undergo a mandatory 10-day quarantine for observation regardless of its vaccination status, a requirement described as North Carolina health protocol in a Hoodline article about an unrelated Charlotte-area dog attack.
Confirming a Case Requires Lab Testing
Suspected rabies cases like the Casar skunk aren't confirmed in the field. The Rabies Laboratory at the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health serves as the state's sole diagnostic facility for testing suspect animals submitted by local health departments and animal control units, according to the NC Division of Public Health. That testing requires analysis of brain tissue, meaning a suspect animal must already be deceased or euthanized before submission.
Rabies is almost always fatal if untreated before symptoms appear, and people exposed to rabies may receive post-exposure shots.
In September, a CDC advisory cited a 17 percent nationwide increase in rabies-related inquiries and a 33 percent jump in human rabies vaccine use compared to 2025.
Cats Pose a Particular Risk in North Carolina
Health officials also flag domestic cats as a concern. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services notes that cats contract rabies more often than any other domestic pet species in the state. Officials urge residents to limit contact with stray and feral animals.
Cleveland County's rabies cases have been mounting steadily throughout the year. The county's seventh case was a fox found on Padgett Road in March, and its third was a skunk found on Fletcher Road in late February. The state has also rolled out an oral rabies vaccination program targeting wildlife populations, though that effort has so far focused on western counties.
The health department's guidance for residents remains consistent across every case this year: limit contact with stray and feral animals, leave wildlife alone entirely, and keep pets current on their rabies vaccinations. Anyone who believes they or a pet may have been exposed to the skunk should contact the Cleveland County Health Department or their healthcare provider for a risk assessment.
