09/04/2025
Great information!! 🐾💉🦝🦇🦨
There have been news articles recently of a rise in rabies reports over the last year with outbreaks in multiple states across the country, including Oregon, and six reported deaths in the last 12 months (The CDC reports an average of 1-3 deaths per year in the US since 2005).
In our area, bats are the most common carriers of rabies. If you come into contact with a bat or capture one in your house or on the ground you can call the Washington State Department of Health for guidance and use extreme caution to prevent bites or scratches if attempting to capture it. Never interact with other wildlife (fox, skunks, raccoons, coyotes, opossums, rabbits or rodents) especially if they seem unusually friendly, ill or acting outside of expected behavior.
Don't forget to have your dogs and cats vaccinated to protect them and yourselves from rabies!
