Rabid bat found in Holly Springs garage

A dead bat found Sunday in the garage of a Sunset Ridge home has tested positive for rabies. It is at least the third case of wildlife rabies in Holly Springs in less than three weeks.

No family members or pets are thought to have been exposed. Town Animal Control officers referred the family to Wake County health officials for advice on whether protective shots against rabies were warranted. The bat was found at the home on Ridgeston Place.

Homeowners should call Holly Springs Animal Control at (919) 557-9111 if they find a bat inside their home.

Animals such as foxes and raccoons with rabies may act unpredictably or aggressively, approaching or even attacking people and pets. Call Animal Control if you see an animal acting unusually, especially near homes. Call 911 immediately if a person or pet has been exposed.

Recent cases in Holly Springs include:

* A confirmed case of rabies in a fox that attacked a pet Chihuahua on May 24 outside a home at 4905 Optimist Farm Road.

* A suspected case of rabies in a raccoon found that same weekend in one of the traps that Animal Control officers had set out in Sunset Lake Village. The animal did not meet state criteria for testing since no known exposure to people or pets occurred;

* A confirmed case of rabies in another fox that scratched a woman May 20 behind a home in Sunset Lake Village. The woman has undergone rabies prevention treatment. A rabid raccoon was also found in Fuquay-Varina during that time period, police said.

State law requires rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats. An unvaccinated pet that is exposed to rabies must be euthanized or quarantined for six months, Animal Control officers said.

Homeowners should not set out food for foxes, raccoons or other wildlife. Securing garbage can lids and removing attractions such as pet food bowls also can help keep wildlife at an appropriate distance.