Public health officials in New York city continue their concern with the continual emergence of rabies in raccoons in Manhattan’s Central Park.

With 28 verifiable cases occurring in January 2010 and December 2009, health officials continue their efforts to both educate the public and use oral rabies vaccine within the park to control the fatal disease.

The raccoon is a nocturnal animal. Finding raccoons during the daylight hours is an immediate indication of something affecting the raccoons such as the rabies virus.

Pet owners who chose to frequent the northern part of Central Park, between 79th and 110th Street, should be most concerned. Leashing one’s pet begins the process of caution, while giving you control of your pet as you walk.

With 8 new cases of Rabies identified in the northern portions of Central Park, from 79th Street to 110th Street, the 2010 cases brings the 2009-2010 total to 20 cases.

The health department has spread oral rabies vaccine bait in the area with the intent to vaccinate the raccoons against this fatal disease. Fliers have been posted in the park and its nearby subway stations advising pet owners to leash their pets, as well as keeping away from animals acting strangely.

Pet owners who choose to walk their dogs in Central Park should review the pets Rabies immunization history. Even with three year Rabies vaccine available, a good rule of thumb is to refresh the pet’s immunity with a booster vaccination. Your local veterinarian of record is the best source of advice for vaccination frequency & duration.

New York has not had a human case of Rabies since 1953.

Pet-owning residents of several counties in the states of West Virginia, Ohio, & North Carolina are urged to have their pets vaccinated for rabies if not already immunized.  Keeping the level of antibodies in your pets at a high level through booster vaccinations is strongly urged.

With wildlife rabies reported in raccoons in Greenbriar County, West Virginia; Columbiana County in Ohio, and Davidson County in North Carolina — health department officials in the three mentioned states offer the following advice: do not handle wild animals that appear to acting strangely, keep your dogs leashed at all times when out of doors, do not leave unconsumed pet food out of doors, report any contact with wildlife, particularly raccoons to your local health departments, and remember, rabies is spread through the saliva of affected animals.

With five variant strains of rabies virus in North America, raccoon rabies is the most common form identified.

When in doubt of your pet’s rabies vaccination status, have the pet receive a rabies booster from your local veterinarian.

The recent finding of three (3) rabid racoons in Central Park should give Park goers cause for concern; especially with two (2) in the past week.

The New York City cluster of positive Rabies cases (20 this year: 14 from the Bronx, 4 from Manhattan, one from the Queens, and one from Staten Island) indicate all five boroughs are infected.

With no human case of Rabies in New York City since 1953, pet owners are urged to be wary of any animal acting strange, and immediately report the animal’s behavior to 311. Animals that have been attacked or may be attacked should be reported to 911.

New York City pet owners:

• Are urged to have their pet’s Rabies vaccinations current or be updated
• Leash your dog when walking it
• Do not leave dogs outdoors unattended.
• Do not attempt to separate animals that are fighting, you may be an accidental bite victim.
• Feed pets indoors.

New York’s Animal Bite Unit may be contacted at 212-676-2483; after hours or weekends call 212-POISONS (784-7667)

Call 311 for Medical follow-up, or your medical provider.

Under the UK & DEFRA’s Pet Travel Scheme, the former onerous quarantine of pets for six (6) months in the UK no longer exists; as long as the following five steps are followed.  They are:

1. See to it that your pet dog, cat, or ferret is microchipped.
2. Administer a Rabies immunization after microchipping.
3. After a period of time, i.e. as little as two weeks and generally four weeks after the Rabies jab; have a blood sample collected by your veterinarian — this is the “blood draw date”. The required blood test is known as the FAVN-OIE Rabies antibody determination.  Please note: the ferret does not require the rabies antibody test, yet requires the six month waiting period.
4. Patiently wait the six months post “draw date”.
5. Your pet is ready to go the UK quarantine-free, provided the Rabies antibody test results are greater than 0.5 I.U.’s (international units). Lastly, have your veterinarian issue the EU#998 form attesting to the health of the pet dog, cat, and ferret; along with both internal & external parasite treatment as defined by the protocol.

All pets & animals enter the UK as booked & manifest air cargo.  Sorry, UK & DEFRA law does NOT allow pets traveling in the aircraft’s passenger cabin; nor as checked nor accompanied baggage.

And “voila”!  Your pet lands in the UK.  After a brief period of time with Her Majesty’s customs and veterinary services, your pet is on its way to its UK home.