Our Community in Fairfax County, Virginia

The rabies virus is transmitted through animal bites or other contact with a rabid animal's saliva through a break in the skin or through mucous membrane.  Animals that are most likely to carry rabies are skunks, cats, bats, raccoons and foxes.  If you see a wild animal that appears sick or injured or you think it may have rabies, please call Animal Control at 703-830-3310.  An Animal Control Officer will come to the area and attempt to capture the animal and most likely euthanize it.  Shortly thereafter, the animal will be tested for the rabies virus.  The results of this test are public information, so you can follow up with the officer to determine if the animal tested positive for the rabies virus.

If your animal was possibly exposed to the virus and is current on his/her immunizations, your animal will need to receive a booster shot and you will have to keep it quarantined for 90 days.  If your pet is not current with the vaccine, it will be quarantined for a period of six months.

In order to help prevent your animal from contracting the rabies virus, have your pets sleep indoors, walk your pets on a leash, and feed them inside.  In addition, be sure to have your pet inoculated against rabies and keep the immunizations up to date.

Did you know that Fairfax County has one of the highest rates of rabid animals in the US?  It's true and as the population grows, residents will be feeling the impact of this more and more.  According to the Fairfax County Department of Animal Control, most incidents involve rabid foxes, raccoons and, unfortunately, cats.  Humans are susceptible to the disease through animal bites or other contact with animal saliva through breaks in the skin.

Recently, we had a scare here in Westlawn.  A raccoon was seen on Barrett Road in the late morning hours.  Because it was walking erratically and drooling, we contacted the Animal Control office.  An officer arrived within an hour of our call and tracked the animal, catching it a short while later.  Luckily, this animal was not rabid.  Animal Control believes it may have been poisoned by something it found in the trash.  But it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Rabies is caused by a virus that attacks warm-blooded animals.  Animals can survive with rabies for up to six months and endanger other animals during that time.  Classic rabies symptoms do not appear until the later stage of the virus, at which point the animal will be dead within a week.  There is no cure for rabies.

Do you know what to watch out for?  Here are some classic symptoms:

• Nocturnal animals moving around during the day
• Increased irritability in pets
• Convulsions and poor coordination (stumbling, weaving while walking)
• Foaming at the mouth

So what can you do to avoid taking unnecessary risks?  The following are recommendations from the Fairfax County Department of Animal Control:

• Admire nature from a distance.  Even healthy wildlife can become aggressive if it feels threatened.
• Warn children of the dangers of approaching unfamiliar animals.
• Be wary of any domestic or wild animals displaying unusual behavior.
• Minimize contact between domestic and wild animals.  Have your pets sleep indoors.  Walk pets on a leash.  Feed pets inside.
• Keep trash in closed garbage cans.  Trash should be bagged before placing in cans.
• Seal off open areas under decks and houses where animals might hide.
• Do NOT keep wild animals as pets.

The Department of Animal Control holds bi-monthly, reduced cost rabies inoculation clinics for dogs, cats and ferrets.  Rabies clinics are held the second Sunday of each odd month from noon to 2:00 p.m. at the Government Center (12000 Government Center Parkway).  The cost is $4.00 for a one-year vaccine and $6.00 for a three-year vaccine.  Bring your cats and ferrets in carriers and your dogs on leashes! 

For more information, contact Fairfax County Animal Control at 703-830-1100 or visit their webpage at: www.co.fairfax.va.us.