Rabid Raccoon Confirmed in Gloucester Township – Camden County, NJ

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(Gloucester Township, NJ) – The Camden County Health Department has been notified by the New Jersey Department of Health and Human Services (NJDHHS) that a raccoon removed from a yard in Gloucester Township has tested positive for rabies.
 
On Aug. 31, a raccoon attempted to attack an individual in a Gloucester Township neighborhood. The family dog intervened and was then attacked by the raccoon. The Animal Control Officer (ACO) for Gloucester Township picked up the raccoon and arranged for rabies testing at the state Public Health & Environmental Laboratories in Trenton (PHEL).
 
There are no known human exposures to this raccoon. 
 
On Sept. 6, the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services was then notified by PHEL that the animal was rabid.
 
The ACO associated with Gloucester Township and the pet owners were notified. The owners provided proof of vaccination for the dog, it will receive a rabies booster shot and will be under confinement and observation for 45 days.
“While rabies is a serious illness, it can be prevented with early treatment,” said Commissioner Virginia Betteridge, liaison to the Department of Health and Human Services. “So, if you have been bitten or scratched by a wild animal it is important that you seek immediate medical attention.”
 
Betteridge urged county residents to observe a few simple rules, including acting responsibly as a pet owner:
 
 
Betteridge said it’s also important to avoid direct contact with unfamiliar animals:
 
 
Betteridge said interested residents can learn more about rabies through the internet by accessing the information available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/ or, residents may call the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services at 856-374-6370.
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