04/05/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/05/2024 17:16
A bat found on April 2nd, 2024, near Toro Creek Road in the Toro Park area of unincorporated Monterey County has tested positive for the rabies virus. Hitchcock Road Animal Services has investigated this incident and determined that while there was exposure to an owned pet, there was no human exposure. The pet that was exposed has been placed under quarantine.
Rabies is a virus that causes a fatal illness in humans and other mammals. The County of Monterey Public Health Bureau and Animal Services want to remind residents and visitors that there is a continuous presence of rabies in local wildlife, both inside and outside of the city. In Monterey County, skunks and bats are the most common species to test positive for the virus. Domestic animals, including companion dogs and cats, are at risk for rabies exposure when they come in contact with wildlife. Domestic animals are at increased risk of rabies if they are not protected by a rabies vaccination and they come into contact with wildlife. Pet owners are encouraged to visit their veterinarian with their pets on a regular basis and keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all dogs and cats.
Public health and animal control officials recommend the following precautions:
For more information on the rabies vaccination requirements in the unincorporated Monterey County areas, please refer to County Ordinance 8.08.010. For questions related to County of Monterey Pet Licensing or Animal Control, please contact Hitchcock Road Animal Services at 831-769-8850.
More information about rabies is available by calling the County of Monterey Health Department's Communicable Disease Unit at 831-755-4521, by visiting Hitchcock Road Animal Services' website (www.hitchcockroadanimals.org) or visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website (https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/).
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