Raccoon tests positive for rabies after encounter with dog in N.J. town

A dead raccoon found in Piscataway has tested positive for rabies after it made contact with a resident’s dog, local officials said.

The resident and their pet dog were exposed to the rabid raccoon in the area of Greenwood Drive and Cedarwood Drive on Tuesday, the Middlesex County Office of Health Services said in a news release.

The raccoon tested positive for rabies at the New Jersey Department of Health Laboratory on Friday.

The raccoon is the fourth rabid animal to be reported in Middlesex County and the first in Piscataway this year, the release states.

According to local officials, the resident was notified to consult with their physician and veterinarian. Officials are continuing to monitor cases in Piscataway.

Residents are asked to report wild animals showing signs of unusual behavior to police and avoid contact with wild animals.

Additionally, residents should report bites from wild or domestic animals immediately to their local health department and consult a physician, and ensure family pets are up to date on vaccinations.

The rabies virus is found in the saliva of infected animals and can be transmitted through a bite or an open wound. Any warm-blooded mammal can become infected – including humans.

The most common rabies-infected animals in the United States each year are bats, skunks, groundhogs, foxes, cats and dogs, officials said.

Raccoon and bat variants of the infection are prevalent in New Jersey.