Lockport, NY – The Niagara County Department of Health confirmed a case of rabies in a kitten found in the City of Lockport earlier this week. This discovery has raised concerns about public health and the ongoing risk of rabies in the area.
The incident involved a roughly 4-week-old kitten that had been taken in by a local family after it began exhibiting aggressive scratching behavior. Concerned by the kitten’s actions, the family sought help from a local veterinarian, who later confirmed the animal was rabid.
Health officials immediately assessed individuals who had direct contact with the kitten for potential rabies exposure, offering post-exposure rabies vaccinations as a precautionary measure.
According to Niagara County Public Health Director, rabies remains a serious public health issue in the region, particularly among wild and domestic animals. In response to this incident, the Department of Health has issued critical reminders to residents to help prevent rabies exposure:
Avoid contact with wild animals: Do not feed, touch, or attempt to adopt wild animals, stray dogs, or feral cats.
Keep pets vaccinated: Ensure that your dogs and cats are up to date on their rabies vaccinations.
Limit pets’ outdoor exposure: Keep family pets indoors at night and avoid leaving them outside unattended or allowing them to roam freely.
Discourage wildlife from approaching: Do not attract wild animals to your home or yard by leaving out food or garbage.
Teach children about animal safety: Encourage children to immediately inform an adult if they are bitten or scratched by any animal.
Handle wild animal encounters with care: If a wild animal is found on your property, do not approach it—allow it to wander away on its own.
Address pet fights with caution: If your pet is involved in a fight with another animal, wear gloves to handle your pet and isolate it from other animals and people for several hours. Contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. Vaccinated pets exposed to a rabid or potentially rabid animal will need a booster dose of the rabies vaccine within five days. Unvaccinated animals exposed to rabies must be confined for six months or humanely euthanized.
This recent case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of rabies prevention and the need for vigilance among residents in Niagara County. The Health Department continues to monitor the situation and urges the public to follow these safety guidelines to protect both themselves and their pets from this deadly virus.
Related Topics
Are Somali Cats Good with Kids?
