RHINEBECK – A raccoon found in Rhinebeck has tested positive for rabies, the Dutchess County Health Department reported.
The animal was brought to the Rhinebeck Animal Hospital on October 1 after being observed exhibiting unusual behavior on a local road.
The people who brought it there left before providing contact information about where it was found.
The health department is asking those individuals who brought the raccoon to the animal hospital, or anyone who may know their identities, to call the department as soon as possible as officials are trying to assess any potential exposure to rabies and provide appropriate guidance.
If anyone or any domestic animal has had recent direct contact with a raccoon in the Rhinebeck area, they are asked to call the health department as soon as possible at 845-486-3404 Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 845-320-1656 on nights and weekends. Immediate treatment after potential exposure to rabies is crucial if is fatal if not treated.