Bangor Beware: Rabid Skunk Report Confirmed By Maine CDC
The Maine CDC is spreading the word that a skunk from Bangor recently tested positive for rabies.
According to the City Of Bangor Maine, City Hall Facebook Page, the organization reached out to city officials Thursday morning to inform them of the news.
"The Maine CDC has notified our offices of a positive case of animal rabies in a skunk that was found in Bangor. We ask that you share this information with your communities to increase awareness."
The CDC says, while preventable, rabies is definitely something you want to take seriously because if it's left untreated, it can result in death.
"Rabies is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system of mammals, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death. The vast majority of rabies cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year occur in wild animals like bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes, although any mammal can get rabies."
There are things you can do to prevent the spread of the disease, such as keep your pets up to date on their rabies vaccinations, don't leave pet food outside where it will attract wild animals, and avoid contact with animals that don't appear to be well, or are acting in a strange manner.
If you or your pet get bit by an animal you suspect may be rabid (or any animal at all), it's important to thoroughly clean the bite out with soap and water. It's also important to report the bite to your doctor, and to your local animal control officer.
For Bangor, the Animal Control Officer is Trisha Bruen. You can reach her at trisha.bruen@bangormaine.gov or by calling at (207)947-7384 ext 5799.
You can find a full list of each town's Animal Control Officer name and contact number by clicking here.