Rabid raccoon confirmed in the Town of Niagara

Jun. 24—A raccoon that may have attacked a cat at a Dell Drive home in the Town of Niagara on Thursday has been confirmed rabid, according to the Niagara County Health Department.

A homeowner said they noticed the raccoon in their garage, where a stray cat was being housed. The cat sustained injuries that may have been from the raccoon. As the cat was not fully vaccinated, the homeowner opted for humane euthanasia in lieu of an extended 6-month quarantine.

The Health Department's Nursing Division determined that there were no human contacts that warranted rabies post-exposure treatment.

Animal rabies continues to be a serious public health concern in Niagara County, officials said. Rabies is a viral disease that nearly always results in death of the animal that is not adequately protected with a rabies vaccination.

Report all animal bites or contact with wild animals to the Niagara County Department of Health Environmental Division at 716-439-7444. Further information on rabies can be obtained from the Niagara County Department of Health at 716-439-7444 or www.niagaracounty.com/health.