Animal control officers in Gaithersburg have encountered several rabid creatures in recent months, while an infected kitten adopted from a PetSmart in Greenbelt could be the first such case in that company’s history.
Is there a rabies problem in the Maryland suburbs or is it just the season for a few cases?
Since March, two foxes and two raccoons in Gaithersburg have tested positive for the virus, the last of which was caught Sunday, according to Lisa Holland, the city’s director of animal control.
She said summer months typically bring an increase in rabies, though Gaithersburg only averages about three to five cases for the entire year. No humans are believed to have come in contact with the infected animals caught in recent months.
But there is no way to know whether more infected creatures will emerge in the area, Holland said, or if the disease has run its course for now.
“Rabies is not predictable,” she said.
The Prince George’s County Health Department issued an alert Tuesday after the gray kitten tested positive on Friday. The other kittens in the litter tested negative.
A PetSmart spokeswoman on Tuesday said that the chain is nearing 3 million adoptions and this infected kitten “is the first we’ve ever had that we’re aware of in 17 years,” Jennifer Pflugfelder said.
For your health
Authorities advise seeking medical attention immediately in the case of a bite or scratch from a wild animal, as well as having pets vaccinated against rabies and confining them to yards.
