Source: Todd Ryburn Photography / Getty
According to Melissa Knicely, the Public Information Specialist for CMPD Animal Care and Control, a raccoon discovered in the southern part of Charlotte has tested positive for rabies.
This occurred after the raccoon had an encounter with multiple pets. A resident of Waterford Drive near Carmel Road found the raccoon in her backyard after her dog attacked it, according to The Charlotte Observer. Upon the arrival of animal control officers, the raccoon was already deceased.
This year, Mecklenburg County has reported three cases of animals testing positive for rabies. Among the 14 animals that tested positive last year, raccoons constituted the majority, with 11 cases.
A study conducted in 2018 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that raccoons were the second-most frequently reported species of rabid wildlife, following bats.
