4th case of rabies within 2 weeks matches county to its total for all of last year

Rabiesnotice

A fourth case of rabies for Kerr County has been confirmed today, March 20, matching the total number of cases in all of 2023, according to Reagan Givens, director of Kerr County Animal Services, the local rabies authority.

This latest instance, like the three other cases before, was also in a skunk, Givens said.

“On Monday, March 18, a resident on Antler Drive in Kerrville noticed a skunk in their yard that was acting abnormally,” Givens said. Once notified, an animal control officer was dispatched, the skunk was humanely euthanized and the sample was sent to the zoological laboratory the same day. “We received word this morning that the sample also was positive for rabies,” he added.

The rabid animal had no contact with humans or pets.

All four confirmed cases of rabies have been from inside Kerrville city limits and reported since March 8.

“Please, if you see an animal acting strangely or sick, note its description, exact location, which direction it might be headed and call our office at 830-257-3100 to report it,” Givens said.

“Stay vigilant, make sure your pets’ vaccinations are up to date against this deadly viral disease, do not feed wild animals and avoid touching any unknown animal, even stray dogs or cats,” he added.

Reports of skunks, bats, raccoons, foxes and any mammals suspected of being infect can also be called in to the Zoonosis Control office in San Antonio at 210-949-2048.