05/03/2026
Another positive rabies case in our community - please make sure your pets' vaccine is current!
Press Release Calaveras County - Rabies Confirmed in Dog Near Angels Camp After Skunk Encounter
Date: May 1, 2026
Contact: Calaveras County Public Health and Calaveras County Animal Services
Phone: (209) 754-6460
Public Health and Animal Services Urges Residents to Vaccinate Pets and Avoid Contact with Wild Animals
ANGELS CAMP, CA – Calaveras County Public Health and Calaveras County Animal Services are alerting the community that a dog in the unincorporated area of Angels Camp has tested positive for rabies after possibly coming into contact with a skunk it was chasing on the property. The skunk's whereabouts are unknown, and the dog was euthanized and tested.
Seven people who had contact with the dog or skunk are receiving care. They are getting the rabies post-exposure vaccine, which is very effective at preventing rabies when started soon after exposure.
Rabies is a deadly disease that affects the brain. It is spread through the saliva of an infected animal, most often through a bite or scratch. Rabies is very difficult to treat once symptoms begin and is almost always fatal. However, it is preventable with quick action and proper medical care.
“If you are bitten or scratched by any animal, wash the wound with soap and water right away and seek medical care as soon as possible,” said Dr. Rene Ramirez, Calaveras County Health Officer. “Do not wait to see if symptoms appear. Once rabies symptoms start, it is almost always too late to treat. Acting fast can save your life. The same urgency applies to your pets — an up-to-date rabies vaccine is the simplest thing you can do to protect your household.”
Signs of Rabies in Animals
Rabies can cause animals to act in strange or unusual ways. The first sign is often a change in behavior. Watch for:
• Aggressive or angry behavior, even with no clear reason
• Unusual tameness, or wild animals that seem to lose their fear of people
• Drooling, foaming at the mouth, or trouble swallowing• Stumbling, trouble walking, or paralysis (often starting in the back legs)
• Seizures or shaking
• Strange or unusual sounds
• Wild animals such as skunks, bats, foxes, and raccoons that are out during the day
Do not approach, touch, or try to help any wild animal or pet that is acting strangely. Keep children and pets away. Report the animal to Calaveras County Animal Services right away.
How to Protect Your Family and Pets
• Keep your pets up to date on rabies vaccines. Vaccination is required by law for all dogs and cats, starting at three months of age.
• If an unvaccinated pet is exposed to a rabid animal, it must be either euthanized or kept in strict isolation for several months. Vaccinated pets are protected from this outcome.
• Make sure your pets wear tags on their collar that show they are vaccinated.
• Stay away from wild animals, both alive and dead. Teach your children to do the same.
• Do not feed wild animals or leave pet food outside, as this can attract them to your home.
• If your pet is bitten or scratched by a wild animal, call your veterinarian right away, even if the wound looks small.
• If you are bitten or scratched by any animal, wash the area with soap and water for several minutes, then get medical care as soon as you can.
• If you find a bat in a room where someone was sleeping, or where a young child or pet was alone, contact your doctor. Bat bites can be very small and hard to see.
About Rabies in California
Rabies is most often found in wildlife. In California, the animals most likely to carry rabies are bats, skunks, and foxes. All mammals can get rabies. Even pets that stay in fenced yards can be at risk, because wild animals can still enter and spread the virus.
More Information
For more information about rabies, visit https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/.
To report a sick or strangely acting wild animal, contact Calaveras County Animal Services at (209) 754-6509.
(Ledger Dispatch report via Calaveras County Public Health and Calaveras County Animal Services press release)
