-Press Release, County of Granville
With fourteen cases of rabies reported in both wild and domestic animals since February of 2018, Granville County Animal Control and Granville-Vance Public Health continue to enforce the state’s rabies law, which requires all owners of domestic dogs, cats and ferrets to have pets vaccinated by four months of age, and to maintain the animal’s current rabies vaccination status throughout its lifetime.
According to County Ordinance, an animal control officer has the power to arrest and the responsibility to enforce all state laws and all county ordinances pertaining to the ownership, control, care and custody of dogs and other animals, cooperating with the health director and other law enforcement officers within the county and adjoining areas.
Violation of the N.C. Rabies Law is a misdemeanor and anyone not in compliance may be charged. In Granville County, 17 pet owners have been issued civil citations this year and there have been nine warnings given. Court records also indicate that three cases have appeared in Granville County Court for pet owners who were in violation of this law.
Under G.S. 14-4, any person found guilty of a misdemeanor may be subject to a fine of up to $500.
“The state’s rabies law is in place to protect the health and well-being of residents and pets,” Animal Control Director Matt Katz explains. “If you or your pet contract the rabies virus, symptoms may not be obvious until it’s too late.”
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reports that in North Carolina, raccoon rabies is present in the raccoon population in virtually every county. While most of the Granville County confirmations have involved raccoons, it is strongly recommended that residents keep away from any wild animal.
“As diligent as our Animal Control officers are, we are not able to monitor wildlife,” Katz notes. “If you see a wild animal acting strangely – such as being out in daylight hours when it is usually nocturnal – don’t come in contact with it. Protect yourself and your family and keep your distance.”
Per Granville County ordinance, any animal bite to a human must be reported immediately to the 911 center, who notifies Animal Control for an investigation. The local health department is also contacted and closely monitors rabies cases.
“The animal control team in Granville County is quite up-to-date on laws, rules, and protocols,” said Lisa Harrison, director for Granville Vance Public Health. “We work together hand-in-hand to ensure the safety of those in our communities.”
If a domestic dog, cat or ferret bites a human and the owner does not have proof that rabies vaccines are current, the animal must be confined for observation for not less than ten days, with the local health director designating the location. If rabies does not develop within the ten-day period, the animal may be released, with the owner responsible for the cost of the confinement. If not currently vaccinated, the animal must be immunized against rabies at the end of the confinement period.
Wild animals are not subject to the ten-day confinement regulation.
If any animal – wild or domestic – is suspected of being rabid, it can be quarantined for up to six months or may be euthanized, at the discretion of the local health director. If euthanized, testing of the animal is conducted by the N.C. State Public Health Lab, and – if confirmed positive for rabies – residents of the area are notified for public health reasons. Once a rabies case has been confirmed, the director of public health has the authority to order an area-wide quarantine, where local law enforcement can impound any animal found running at large in the county.
Since the confirmed rabies cases in Granville County are widespread and not specific to one particular area, no quarantines have been issued, Harrison says, but a feral cat colony that has been exposed is being closely monitored.
“All of this can be avoided if residents follow the law and have their animals vaccinated,” Katz says. “One shot is not enough. Be sure your pet is protected by receiving all of its booster shots. If unsure of when a booster is needed, contact your local veterinarian.”
State law requires that local health directors organize or assist other county departments in organizing at least one countywide rabies clinic per year. In response to the recent number of rabies incidents, Granville County Animal Control has hosted several clinics to provide vaccinations and to educate residents about the importance of rabies vaccines.
The Granville County Animal Shelter, located at 5650 Cornwall Road in Oxford, also offers one-year rabies vaccines for dogs and cats Monday through Friday from noon until 4:30 p.m. at a cost of only $6. For more information, call 919-693-6749.