Rabies is a disease caused by a virus that affects the brain. Rabies is usually passed from animal to animal, but it can be passed from animals to people. Any warm-blooded animal with fur can get rabies. This includes humans, as well as pets such as cats and dogs. Rabies can affect farm animals like cows and horses and wild animals like foxes, skunks, groundhogs, raccoons, and bats.

Pets and wild animals can transfer the rabies virus to humans via bites and/or scratches. Rabies is serious and can be deadly. However, rabies in humans is 100% preventable through vaccinating pets, staying away from wildlife, and seeking medical care after potential exposures before symptoms start.

If a person is bitten or scratched by any animal, wash the wound with soap and water immediately, and then go see your doctor right away. In people, it may take weeks to months to show signs of rabies. If there’s a chance the animal has rabies, your doctor will want to give you the rabies vaccine to make sure you don’t get rabies too. If a pet is bitten or scratched, take it to a vet promptly.  In either case, be sure to report the incident immediately to the police and the local health department. 

Follow these tips to help prevent rabies:

• Make sure your pets are up-to-date on their rabies vaccines.
• Keep wildlife wild - stay away from wildlife for both human and animal safety.
• Call animal control to remove all stray animals from your neighborhood since these animals may be unvaccinated or ill.
• Wash bites or scratches immediately with soap and water.
• Seek medical care shortly after potential exposures. 

In Somerset County, dogs and cats are required to be routinely vaccinated against rabies. A listing of upcoming rabies clinics in Somerset County can be found on the Somerset County Department of Health events calendar.  This listing is updated as clinic dates are scheduled.

For further information on rabies, visit the New Jersey Department of Health website at https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/rabies.shtml.