ONEIDA COUNTY -- Two scary incidents in Oneida County are underscoring the importance of having your pets vaccinated for rabies.
Two attacks have left one boy and three pets recovering from the bites of rabies-infected animals.
The Oneida County Health Department says the first attack happened in Floyd. A woman discovered her cat cornered in her garage by a raccoon that had porcupine quills imbedded in its face and body. The raccoon was able to bite the cat before the owner shot and killed it. The raccoon tested positive for rabies, but luckily the cat had been previously vaccinated. It was given a booster shot and will be quarantined for six months.
The second attack happened the next day in Clinton. The health department says a boy was bitten by a grey fox after the boy went into an outbuilding on his family's property. Two of the family's pet dogs came to his rescue and were also bitten. The boy's father was able to kill the fox. The boy is being treated for rabies exposure and the dogs were given booster shots, since they had been previously vaccinated.
Have you or your pet ever been bitten by a rabid animal?
The health department says these two incidents highlight the need to follow the law and get your pets vaccinated. If your pet needs to be vaccinated there is a rabies clinic scheduled for Tuesday, August 2nd, at Cassville Firehouse from 5pm to 7pm. A ten dollar donation per pet is requested to help defray costs. You can find out more about the clinic here.
Have you had your pets vaccinated?
