March 11, 2026
\nMedia Contact: Kim Foster, kimberlee.foster@vdh.virginia.gov<\/p>\n
Central Virginia Health District Confirms Three Rabid Animals<\/strong><\/p>\n Lynchburg, Va.<\/strong> \u2013 The Central Virginia Health District has received confirmation of three rabid animals located in the district between March 6 and March 9, including a rabid raccoon on Crestview Drive in the Forest area of Bedford County. Also, two rabid skunks have been reported in Campbell County, one on Suburban Road and another on Bethany Road. All the rabid animals had known or suspected contact with dogs. There is no known human exposure among the three incidents.<\/p>\n Rabies is caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system and is lethal if proper medical care is not given following an exposure to the virus. The most common source of exposure to rabies is a bite by a rabid animal. Rabies may also be transmitted by saliva from a rabid animal contacting open wounds, the mouth, eyes or nose. All animal bites should be reported to the local animal control officers or to the local health department to ensure proper follow-up for rabies prevention.<\/p>\n \nEveryone should take commonsense measures to protect themselves and their domestic animals from rabies. Pet owners should keep their pets up to date on their rabies vaccinations. Virginia law requires that all dogs and cats four months of age and older be vaccinated for rabies by a licensed veterinarian, and that vaccinations be kept current. It is important to avoid contact with wild or stray animals, and parents should be sure that their children are taught not to touch, pet, or otherwise handle unknown animals.<\/p>\n Steps that can be taken to prevent rabies in people and pets include: If you are bitten by a wild or stray animal do not panic. Wash the wound(s) thoroughly with warm For more information about rabies, https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/animal-contact-human-health\/rabiescontrol\/.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" March 11, 2026 Media Contact: Kim Foster, kimberlee.foster@vdh.virginia.gov Central Virginia Health District Confirms Three Rabid Animals Lynchburg, Va. \u2013 The Central Virginia Health District has received confirmation of three rabid animals located in the district between March 6 and March 9, including a rabid raccoon on Crestview Drive in the Forest area of Bedford County. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":518,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[226,107,225,34,556,381,184,227],"class_list":["post-17715","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","tag-animals","tag-central-virginia-health-district","tag-pets","tag-rabies","tag-rabies-vaccinations","tag-stray-animals","tag-virus","tag-wild-animals"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n\u2022 Be sure that your pets are up to date on their rabies vaccinations.
\n\u2022 Avoid contact with wild animals or stray animals.
\n\u2022 Do not feed stray animals. Avoid wild animals, especially raccoons, bats, foxes and skunks. Feed your pets indoors and do not let them wander.
\n\u2022 Teach children to avoid contact with wild animals and pets they are not familiar with.
\n\u2022 Do not handle sick, injured or dead animals. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabber if you have concerns
\nabout sick or injured wildlife.
\n\u2022 Keep wild animals out of homes by capping chimneys with screens and blocking openings in attics, cellars and porches. Ensure trash cans have tight fitting lids.
\n\u2022 Do not try to trap or handle stray and wild animals. If a bat is found indoors and may have had contact with someone, do not release it. Call your local animal control officer or health department to determine if the animal should be picked up and tested for rabies.
\n\u2022 Report all bites to people to the local health department for investigation.<\/p>\n
\nsoapy water and contact animal control, your doctor or the health department for further
\nrecommendations. https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/central-virginia\/health-department-locations\/<\/p>\n