Skunk in Loveville Neighborhood Tests Positive for Rabies

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LEONARDTOWN (March 16, 2016) - The St. Mary's County Health Department reports that a skunk in the Loveville area has tested positive for rabies. The test results were confirmed by the State's laboratory at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in Baltimore. It has been reported that a dog of unknown ownership had contact with the affected skunk. No description of the dog is available. Pet owners in the Loveville area are advised to examine their animals for bites, scratches or wounds of unknown origin and report suspect injuries to the St. Mary's County Animal Control at 301-475-8018. Residents are asked to report any animal exposures involving humans to the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office at 301-475-8008.

Rabies is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The health department investigates reports of animal bites and, based on the outcome of the investigation, refers the affected person(s) to the hospital's emergency department or to their primary health care provider for treatment and vaccination.

The following precautions will protect your pets and family members from the threat of rabies:

-- Be sure your pet has up-to-date rabies shots. Maryland law requires that all cats, dogs and ferrets four-months and older have current rabies shots. Low-cost rabies clinics are provided by the health department and St. Mary's Animal Welfare League (SMAWL) during March - November.

-- Keep pets in your home or yard and walk them on a leash.

-- Never approach or touch animals unknown to you.

-- Do not feed pets outdoors. Pet food and other food sources such as unsecured garbage cans may attract unwanted and unhealthy animals into your yard.

For more information about rabies and the rabies vaccination clinics, visit the health department's website at www.smchd.org.
 

Spook

New Member
LEONARDTOWN (March 16, 2016) - The St. Mary's County Health Department reports that a skunk in the Loveville area has tested positive for rabies. The test results were confirmed by the State's laboratory at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in Baltimore. It has been reported that a dog of unknown ownership had contact with the affected skunk. No description of the dog is available. Pet owners in the Loveville area are advised to examine their animals for bites, scratches or wounds of unknown origin and report suspect injuries to the St. Mary's County Animal Control at 301-475-8018. Residents are asked to report any animal exposures involving humans to the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office at 301-475-8008.

Rabies is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The health department investigates reports of animal bites and, based on the outcome of the investigation, refers the affected person(s) to the hospital's emergency department or to their primary health care provider for treatment and vaccination.

The following precautions will protect your pets and family members from the threat of rabies:

-- Be sure your pet has up-to-date rabies shots. Maryland law requires that all cats, dogs and ferrets four-months and older have current rabies shots. Low-cost rabies clinics are provided by the health department and St. Mary's Animal Welfare League (SMAWL) during March - November.

-- Keep pets in your home or yard and walk them on a leash.

-- Never approach or touch animals unknown to you.

-- Do not feed pets outdoors. Pet food and other food sources such as unsecured garbage cans may attract unwanted and unhealthy animals into your yard.

For more information about rabies and the rabies vaccination clinics, visit the health department's website at www.smchd.org.

Man! That stinks!
 

sm8

Active Member
My friends dad was there when it happened, he tried to help the skunk and got bit. He and his wife have to get rabies shots now. I would of helped it from across the yard with a .22
 

bilbur

New Member
My friends dad was there when it happened, he tried to help the skunk and got bit. He and his wife have to get rabies shots now. I would of helped it from across the yard with a .22

What were they trying to help the skunk do? I would have done the same as you and helped it take its final breath. I don't mess with the stinky pussy cat.
 

sm8

Active Member
What were they trying to help the skunk do? I would have done the same as you and helped it take its final breath. I don't mess with the stinky pussy cat.

from my understanding he wanted a wildlife rescue to rehabilitate it and release it to the wild.
 
from my understanding he wanted a wildlife rescue to rehabilitate it and release it to the wild.

He probably has a much better idea now of how an animal with rabies acts, and to steer clear.

Does he consider Leonardtown to be the 'burbs?? Can't get much more rural than SoMD.
 

BernieP

Resident PIA
My friends dad was there when it happened, he tried to help the skunk and got bit. He and his wife have to get rabies shots now. I would of helped it from across the yard with a .22

shotgun, 12 gauge. Blow that sucker away. Sorry if that offends skunk lovers, but if these animals are around during the day it's almost a lock they are rabid.
The only effective way to capture critters is with a trap, it's also a lock that if you get close, they will bite or scratch, particularly if they are rabid.
We had a LEO take care of a raccoon that was hanging out - during the day. Neighbors had called animal control, but someone decided to just send an officer out.
 

littlelady

God bless the USA
Probably something like this:

:lol: I love that commercial!

We have had a raccoon or two out during the day over the years here, and always wondered if they were rabid. One that we know of was a new mom and had her babies somewhere near our house. So, I think nocturnal animals actually forage during the day to feed their babies. We had some of the cutie babies running around on our back deck for a while until they grew up and left to have lives of their own. I loved watching them.
 
This is how the Zombie apocalypse will start.

If a zombie bites a vampire, then the vampire bites a human, does that person become a zombie or a vampire?

Or what happens if the vampire bites the zombie first? Do we get flying bat zombies??
 

frequentflier

happy to be living
From the CRE Facebook page, a rabid skunk was shot and taken by animal control to be tested for rabies this past weekend.
 
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