On Tuesday, August 30, 2022 at 1:29 pm, Gaston County Police Animal Care and Enforcement was notified of a positive rabies specimen that was sent to the North Carolina State Lab on Friday, August 26, 2022.
On Friday, August 26, 2022 at 6:22 pm, Gaston County Police Animal Care and Enforcement responded to a call regarding a dead bat that was found on the porch of a residence in the 1000 block of Mountainbrook Drive, Gastonia, NC 28052. The homeowner’s cat had either killed or found the bat, and brought it to the porch. Animal Care and Enforcement collected the bat and sent a rabies specimen to the North Carolina State Lab. The bat tested positive for rabies. The cat was up-to-date on its rabies vaccinations and received a booster.
Animal Care and Enforcement notified the animal owner and conducted a neighborhood canvas in the area of Mountainbrook Drive in Gastonia, NC to notify the community of the positive rabies result and to verify rabies vaccinations for family animals in the area. Gaston County Animal Care and Enforcement also notified the Gaston County Department Health and Human Services.
The Gaston County Police Animal Care and Enforcement stresses the importance of having an up-to-date rabies vaccination for all of your pets. By keeping your pet’s current on their rabies vaccines, you are protecting them from contracting the disease from wildlife and spreading the disease to your family and other animals, and people in the community. Furthermore, it is important to never handle or transport sick wildlife. The animal could have rabies. Gaston County residents should contact Gaston County Police Animal Care and Enforcement to capture and transport sick wildlife.
This represents the tenth confirmed rabies case in Gaston County this year. No further information is available at this time.