HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. – Animal Control officials are keeping a closer lookout after a rabid skunk was found wandering near a Clarkesville school last Wednesday.
On March 22, Habersham County Animal Control got a call from a resident to report a skunk acting strangely in the area.
Responding Animal Control officers spotted the skunk “staggering” through yards and across the road toward the rear of Clarkesville Elementary off Beaver Dam Road. One of the officers saw that the skunk was trying to escape under a fence and captured the animal with his jacket.
Animal Control euthanized the skunk because of its proximity to a “high risk” area – a school – and sent a specimen to the Health Department where it later tested positive for rabies. Officials said there was no contact between the raccoon and any student or any equipment on school grounds.
Animal Control said they told school administration about the rabid skunk and staff are watching for any possible infected animals. So far, though, no other positive cases of rabies have been reported and there have been no other rabid animals spotted near the school since the skunk was captured.
This incident was not the first time a rabid animal was reported in Habersham County. Animal Control officials confirmed two other cases of rabies in the county – one in January and another one week ago.
In the January incident, a raccoon encountered a dog that was current on its rabies vaccines NEAR Mt. Airy Highway. That dog was quarantined for 45 days and has since been cleared.
In the other instance, a rabid raccoon came in contact with a 3-month-old puppy in a resident’s backyard on Chisom Trail. That dog was too young for a rabies vaccination, and will have to be put down, Animal Control said.
Officials with the department said that they had about the same number of positive rabies cases during the same time last year, so they assured that the current cases are not an “outbreak” and there is no need for concern.
