Officer Joe Stafford
Douglas County Animal Services
Field Services Manager

Officer Lisa Massie
Douglas County Animal Services,
Field Services Supervisor

On March 15, 2010 Douglas County Animal Services (DCAS) was contacted regarding a skunk that exhibited uncoordinated and aggressive behavior east of Parker, CO. The skunk was collected and submitted for rabies testing. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Laboratory (CDPHE) confirmed rabies infection on March 16, 2010. This marks the arrival of the Rabies Virus along the fringe of the metro Denver area. There have also been 11 confirmed cases of rabies in Elbert County during the past 12 months and 104 cases in Colorado during 2009.

Rabies is a virus that affects the nervous system of humans and other mammals resulting in a fatal disease. It is imperative that all dogs, cats, and ferrets are up to date on their Rabies Vaccination. If your animal is not current on its Rabies Vaccination please contact your veterinarian immediately. Livestock owners are also encouraged to consult with their veterinarians regarding rabies vaccinations.

Due to risk associated with the Rabies Virus, Douglas County Animal Services will be strictly enforcing animal regulations related to Rabies Vaccination and Identification. Douglas County ordinance requires all dogs to be vaccinated for the rabies virus by a licensed veterinarian. Dogs are also required to wear their rabies tag at all times. DCAS also recommends that all cats and ferrets be kept current on their rabies vaccination and permanently identified.

Additional precautions to prevent possible exposure to rabies include:

Immediately report all dog, cat, ferret bites or physical contact with a wild animal to your doctor or DCAS

If your pet is bitten, scratched or sprayed by a wild animal contact your veterinarian as soon as possible

Do not let your pets (including cats) roam freely as this exponentially increases the chance of exposure

Teach your children to stay away from all wild or stray domestic animals, alive or deceased

Do not feed wild animals

Feed domestic animals inside your home

Do not leave livestock feed containers open even when they are in sheds or barns

Remove items from around your home that may become habitat for wild animals

Residents should contact the Department of Wildlife at 303-291-7227 if they see a see a wild animal exhibiting uncoordinated, aggressive, or other odd behavior and the animal has had no contact with humans or domestic animals. If contact with a suspected rabid animal has occurred, contact DCAS at 303-660-7529.

DCAS is partnering with Plum Creek Veterinary Services (www.plumcreekveterinaryservices.com) and Essential Pets LLC. (www.essential-pet.com) to provide low cost Rabies Vaccinations. The first clinic is scheduled to be held on April 10, 2010 between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm at 17930 Cottonwood Dr. Parker, CO. (SW corner of Parker Road and Cottonwood Drive). Rabies Vaccinations will cost $22 each. Other vaccinations will be available at an additional cost.

Vaccinations will be offered to unincorporated Douglas County residents only. Anyone interested in this vaccination clinic should contact DCAS to schedule an appointment. If all appointments are filled we will attempt to schedule future events.
Douglas County Animal Services needs your help to protect our community from this fatal disease. Please help us by being a responsible pet owner and ensure your animals are kept current on Rabies Vaccination and Properly Identified. If you would like additional information please contact us at 303-660-7529.

Gary Sky
Public Information Officer

Rabies Confirmed in Douglas County Skunk

Health department advises to get pets vaccinated and warns against exposure to wild animals

Tri-County Health Department has confirmed that a skunk collected on a private property in the area southwest of E-470 and Gartrell Road in Parker was infected with rabies. The area is near the border of Arapahoe and Douglas Counties. The skunk was seen during the day and behaving abnormally, prompting the residents to contact Douglas County Animal Control. Healthy skunks are normally nocturnal and are rarely seen in the daylight hours.

Rabies is caused by a virus that affects the nervous system of humans and other mammals, and is nearly always fatal. The virus is shed in the saliva of infected animals, and people or animals can get rabies from the bite or contact with saliva of a rabid animal. Immediate treatment is required after exposure to an infected animal’s saliva.

To prevent exposure to this virus, skunks and other wildlife should not be handled or fed. A healthy animal usually will remain well hidden and avoid human contact. If you see any wild animals exhibiting odd or aggressive behavior, contact your local animal control agency.

“The location of this rabid skunk in eastern Douglas County confirms that rabies in the wild animal population poses a risk to horse ranches in the area, and that it is getting closer to more densely populated areas of the metro Denver area,” states Richard L. Vogt, MD, Executive Director of Tri-County Health Department. “It is a good opportunity to remind people that having dogs and cats vaccinated against rabies is the simplest and most effective way to protect pets and humans from this deadly disease. Owners of horses, cattle and other livestock are encouraged to consult with their veterinarians regarding rabies vaccination for those animals.”

In addition to rabies vaccinations for domestic animals, there are additional precautions to prevent possible exposure to rabies:

Do not feed wild animals since this reduces their natural fear of humans.

Do not leave pet food outside or feed more than your outdoor pet will finish in one feeding.

Do not leave livestock feed containers open in sheds or barns.

Remove junk piles from around your property that may provide nesting areas for wild animals.

Teach children to stay away from all wild animals, stray domestic pets, or any dead animals they may find.

Do not let pets roam freely, since this can increase the chance that they could be exposed without your knowledge.

Contact your veterinarian if your dog or cat is bitten or scratched by a wild animal.

Call your local animal control agency if you see a potentially rabid animal, so that they can capture the animal or collect the body.

If a person has been bitten or scratched by a wild animal, they should seek immediate medical attention, since prompt medical treatment is the key to preventing rabies after a possible exposure.

This is the first rabid skunk to be identified in Douglas County in over 20 years. Rabies-infected skunks and other animals have been identified in Adams, Arapahoe and El Paso Counties over the past few years. The most recent rabid animal confirmed in Douglas County was a bat, which was collected in 2007.

Residents should contact their local animal control agency to report a suspect case of rabies, and experts are on-call 24 hours a day.

More information about rabies is available from the CDC at www.cdc.gov/rabies.