MONTICELLO – The Sullivan County Department of Public Health has confirmed that a euthanized fox in the Kauneonga Lake area of the Town of Bethel tested positive for the rabies virus.
Exposed persons are currently receiving appropriate treatment.
Rabies occurs commonly in New York State, with the vast majority of cases in wild animals including raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, and woodchucks.
Domestic animals account for less than 10 percent of the reported rabies cases, which most often include cats, cattle and dogs.
County officials note that wild animals and stray cats may expose your pets if they are allowed to freely roam on your property or in wooded areas. The officials encourage people to keep their pets up to date on vaccinations and indoors when not on a leash.
The next regularly scheduled free rabies vaccination clinic for dogs, cats, and ferrets, open to anyone in Sullivan County and sponsored by the Department of Public Health, will be held on Wednesday, June 5, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Morningside Park in Hurleyville.
