CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. — Part of Charlotte County is under a rabies alert after an unvaccinated dog was found with a rabies-infected bat in its mouth.
The incident began on Dec. 6 when someone called the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office after their dog brought a live bat to the back porch. The bat had been in the dog's mouth, according to county officials.
The bat later tested positive for rabies, prompting health officials to place the unvaccinated dog in a six-month quarantine.
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"We ask that you do not come into contact with wildlife or report any stray animals," said Brian Jones, Charlotte County Animal Control Division manager.
When there's a positive rabies test, Jones said standard procedure is to declare a rabies alert for the affected area.
The alert applies only to a neighborhood in Port Charlotte near McCall Road and Coliseum Boulevard.
The news comes as a surprise to people like Ciara Collins and Elizabeth Matz, who live in Charlotte County.
"Kind of nervous like, I'm like, I need to be probably more aware when I take out my dog and that sort of thing," Collins said.
Jones warns neighbors to remove anything that might attract wildlife to their properties. Collins and Matz said they already keep their yard clean, but even though they don't live in the area under alert, they plan to be extra careful.
"We have a coconut tree in the back, so make sure that everything's picked up for our dog that way, just being as safe as possible for him," Collins said.
County officials emphasize that warning signs for rabies in pets are serious, and once symptoms appear, it's often too late for treatment.
"Just a good principle to take further, even past this incident right now, it's for any type of animal and any type of disease, just being more aware of what's going on at times," Matz said.
Vaccination is critical and required by law, Jones noted. He reminds neighbors that reporting suspicious animal behavior is important.
"To report it can save a life," Jones said.
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