The Oswego County Health Department is raising awareness about the dangers of the rabies virus and reminding residents what to do when they encounter wildlife, whether it is indoors or out.

“Wild animals have given birth to their babies,” said Oswego County Interim Public Health Director Vera Dunsmoor. “Sometimes these cute baby animals will stray away from their mothers and wander into backyards and barns or onto porches tempting people to catch them and take them in as their own. We urge people to leave them alone because they can put you and your family members at risk of exposure to a fatal disease such as rabies.”

It’s important to report all domestic and wild animal bites or contact with wildlife to the Oswego County Health Department’s Environmental Division as soon as possible. Call 315-349-3564 weekdays or 315-341-0086 evenings and weekends.

“Any potential contact with either a wild or domestic animal should be reported right away,” said Judy Grandy, director of Environmental Health for the Oswego County Health Department. “Staff will investigate to determine the threat of exposure to people and pets.”

Oswego County Associate Public Health Sanitarian Chris Williams added that bat encounters are more common during the warm summer months.

“If you wake up because a bat landed on you while you were sleeping, or if you wake up and find a bat in your room, you should try to safely capture it, without further exposing yourself, and have it tested,” he said. “This also applies if you find a bat in a room with an unattended child or someone with a mental impairment. Basically, if a bat is found indoors and there is a chance it may have had contact with a person or a pet, it is extremely important not to release it.”

For instructions on how to capture a bat, watch the New York State Department of Health video, “Catch a Bat Safely,” at https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/zoonoses/rabies/.

Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system. It is most often seen among wild animals like bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes, although any mammal can be infected with the disease – including people and pets.

People usually get exposed to the rabies virus from the bite of an infected animal; however, exposure can also occur if saliva from a rabid animal enters an open cut or mucous membrane such as the eyes, nose or mouth.

To minimize the chance of exposure to rabies, people should be wary of any animals that act abnormally. Unusual actions include aggressive or tame behavior, no fear of humans, aimless wandering, or appearing disoriented.

The health department offered these tips to further reduce the risk of exposure to the rabies virus:

• DO NOT pick up, touch or feed wildlife or stray dogs and cats. Wild or feral animals, including their babies, can be rabid. Teach children to do the same.
• If a wild animal is on your property, get indoors and let it wander away.
• Keep pets and livestock animals up to date on their vaccinations.
• Don’t let pets roam free and bring them indoors at night.

Grandy reminds pet owners that all dogs, cats, and ferrets must be vaccinated against rabies. “Even animals that remain indoors can be exposed to rabies through a bite or scratch from a rabid bat,” she said. “Immunizing your pets is the most effective protection from rabies virus.”

The Oswego County Health Department is hosting its next rabies clinic from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at the Minetto Volunteer Fire Department on Barrett Drive. The phone line will open the week before to make appointments.

Williams said that the rabies virus is active throughout the year. “We’re seeing more rabies activity because people are outdoors in the warm weather, but they should be aware of wildlife and the dangers of rabies year-round,” he cautioned.

Dunsmoor agreed, “We all want to be outside in the backyard or enjoying outdoor activities like hiking and camping now that summer is in full swing. We just have to be aware of our surroundings and take the appropriate precautions around stray and wild animals.”

For more information about rabies, go to the Oswego County Health Department’s website at https://health.oswegocounty.com/programs/environmental1/rabies_program2.php or the CDC’s website at https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/index.html.