By: Emily Craighead
WEST WINDSOR Following the discovery April 28 that an injured raccoon captured in the township was infected with rabies, township health officials are reminding residents to avoid contact with wild animals and protect pets.
A local resident contacted the township after seeing a raccoon outside the house during the day, health officer Robert Hary said. The animal was captured April 26 and euthanized.
Raccoons are the animals most frequently infected with rabies in New Jersey, but raccoons can bite and infect other animals, according to the state Health Department’s "Rabies Fact Sheet."
Precautions suggested by the township Health Department include having dogs and cats vaccinated against rabies, keeping pets away from stray or wild animals, and reporting stray animals to the animal control officer.
For more information, contact the township Health Department at (609) 799-2400.

