Waterbury skunk is Washington County’s first rabies case this year

September 24, 2023 | By Lisa Scagliotti

The Vermont Department of Health has found a recent case of rabies in a skunk in Waterbury and the public is reminded to take steps to protect people and pets from rabies.

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Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife photo

State Epidemiologist Emily Pareles shared the information in a communication with town Health Officer Bill Shepeluk on Friday. “Today we received results of a rabies-positive skunk in Waterbury, Vermont. The skunk was found during routine surveillance testing,” Pareles wrote. 

She urges people to be aware of the risk of rabies in wildlife.

The state Health Department, Fish & Wildlife Department and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services each summer work to try to mitigate the spread of rabies in wildlife such as skunks by conducting drops of rabies vaccine in small packets from low-flying aircraft around Vermont. This year’s effort distributed more than 265,000 doses, according to state officials.

Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the brain that infects mammals and is fatal to both humans and animals. According to the Health Department, rabies is most commonly found in Vermont in wild animals such as raccoons, skunks, foxes, bats and woodchucks. Cats, dogs and livestock can also get rabies if they have not been vaccinated. Rabies virus is spread through the bite of an infected animal. It is transmitted when the virus is introduced into a bite wound, open cuts on the skin, or onto mucous membranes such as the mouth or eyes.

Data on the Health Department’s website show that surveillance testing has detected rabies in 30 animals in Vermont so far this year. They include skunks, foxes, raccoons, two bats and one cat. The Waterbury skunk is the first rabies case detected in Washington County, according to the department’s list. 

In 2022, there were a total of 40 cases statewide, three of those in Washington County although none were in Waterbury. Last year’s cases were two skunks – one each in Roxbury and Waitsfield – and a raccoon in Moretown. 

Pareles said public health guidance is for people to not handle wildlife, to call a game warden if they see a sick or injured animal, and to keep pets up to date on rabies vaccines. 

Other tips from the Health Department: 

• If you are bitten by an animal: Wash the wound very well with soap and water and contact your health care provider. 

• If your pet or farm animal was exposed to a wild or stray animal that might have rabies, contact your veterinarian. State law requires dogs and cats to be vaccinated — even barn cats.

• If you see a wild or stray animal acting strangely or are concerned about rabies exposure, call the Rabies Hotline (1-800-4-RABIES) or report it to your town’s animal control officer.

• Do not touch or pick up wild or stray animals – even baby animals. Doing so can put someone at risk of exposure through a bite or a scratch. You can’t tell if an animal has rabies just by looking at it. Interacting with young wildlife may result in them being orphaned or, if tested for rabies, requires humanely euthanizing the animal. So, for their own sake, leave wildlife in the wild.

Learn more about rabies in Vermont online at healthvermont.gov/rabies.