Rabies cases set county record with 47th animal

A feral cat in the Carmen-Tumacacori area is the latest animal to test positive for rabies in Santa Cruz County. Now 47 animals, wild and domestic, have been confirmed with the rabies virus since the beginning of 2009.

It’s a record for the county, said Lt. Jose Peña, supervisor of Animal Care and Control. The number eclipses the 32 cases reported in 2002, the worst year he can remember.

“I don’t see an end to this right now,” Peña said.

He and Health Services Director Kevin Irvine are pondering a county-wide rabies quarantine to protect people and pets from the fatal disease, he said.

“This would mean no pets would be allowed to roam free,” Peña said. County supervisors would declare the county under quarantine and officers could cite owners for any violations.

A resident reported the rabid cat in Tumacacori and animal control officers captured it, according to a bulletin from Santa Cruz County Health Services. When the symptoms indicated rabies, the officers euthanized the cat and sent a specimen to the state lab for testing. It came back positive on Nov. 16.

“Right now, we’re trying to figure out if anyone was bitten,” Peña said.

Animal Control officers found the 47 rabid animals throughout the county, according to Health Services. The tally includes 39 skunks, three bats, two horses, one cow, one coyote and one cat. Fourteen animals showed up in Nogales, 10 in Rio Rico, nine in the Tubac area, seven in the Patagonia area, two in the Sonoita area, and five in the Kino Springs and Nogales International Airport area.

“Skunks have chased residents even inside their homes,” according to Health Services. “Many dogs have been exposed and subsequently been placed under quarantine.”

This lasts for 45 days for vaccinated animals or 180 days, if unvaccinated, Peña said.

So far, none of the dogs has developed rabies symptoms.

Animal Control used to drive specimens from suspected rabid animals to a state lab in Tucson, but it closed a few months ago, Peña said. Now the department pays UPS to ship the specimens to the main lab in Phoenix.

Shipping expenses have gone up, so Peña asked for approval from county supervisors to move $1,500 in his budget from equipment purchases to postage and freight. The supervisors voted “yes” at their meeting on Nov. 18.

To protect yourself and your children from rabies:

• Don’t feed or handle wild animals or pets that have come in contact with wild animals.

• Call Animal Control at (520) 761-7860 immediately if you see unusual behavior in domestic animals or wildlife. Skunks are normally shy. If one approaches you or your pet, something is wrong.

• Report any sick or injured animals to Animal Control.

• Have your pet vaccinated against rabies. State and local laws require that all dogs be vaccinated and licensed. Animal Control strongly recommends that cats be vaccinated as well.