SOMERSET COUNTY

Franklin child attacked by rabid raccoon

Girl is undergoing preventative treatment after attack earlier this month

Mike Deak
@MikeDeakMyCJ

FRANKLIN (Somerset) - A young girl is undergoing preventive treatment after she was attacked and scratched by a rabid raccoon this month.

Somerset County health officials say the girl was leaving an unidentified nursery school in the Easton Avenue area on Nov. 6 when she came in contact with the raccoon.

The animal was captured by Franklin Township Animal Control and sent to the public health laboratory at the New Jersey State Department of Health where rabies was confirmed.

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Township residents who see an animal acting strangely should call the Franklin Township Animal Shelter at 732-873-2500, ext. 6255, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or the Franklin Township Police Department at 732-873-2300, at all other times.

“If you are bitten or attacked by an animal, do not delay in reporting it to the health authorities,” said Somerset County Health Officer Dr. Paul Masaba. “Rabies is a serious illness that can be fatal in humans without treatment.”

People can get rabies through animal bites or when saliva of an infected animal enters the body through cuts or scratches.

Anyone who is bitten or scratched by a wild or stray animal — including stray dogs and cats — should promptly wash the area with soap and water and seek medical attention. 

If a pet is bitten or scratched, take it to a vet promptly.

In either case,  the incident should be reported immediately to the police and the local health department. For health department contact information in Somerset County municipalities, visit www.co.somerset.nj.us/health/localhealth.aspx.

Rabid raccoon found in Somerset

This is the second rabid raccoon discovered in Franklin in two months. A rabid raccoon came in contact with a dog on Sept. 16 in the area of Hamilton Street and Amwell Road.

According to the New Jersey State Department of Health, all areas of New Jersey, including urban centers, are affected by rabies in raccoons, resulting in an average of about 280 animal cases annually.

Suburban areas in which raccoons, people and pets are in close proximity have the highest number of cases. From 1989 through 2010, more than 6,000 New Jersey animals were confirmed to have rabies, 77 percent of which were raccoons.

In Somerset County, dogs and cats are required to be routinely vaccinated against rabies.

Franklin Township sponsors several free rabies clinics for township cats and dogs. The next rabies clinic for dogs will be from 8 to 10 a.m. Dec. 12 at the Franklin Township Animal Shelter, 475 Demott Lane.

A listing of upcoming rabies clinics in Somerset County can be found on the Somerset County Department of Health events calendar at www.co.somerset.nj.us/health/events.aspx#rabies. This listing is updated as clinic dates are added.

For more information on rabies, visit the New Jersey Department of Health website at www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/faq/rabies_faq.pdf .

Staff Writer Mike Deak: 908-243-6607; mdeak@mycentraljersey.com