Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields announced two confirmed rabies cases within the past week on Friday.
On Aug. 15, deputies from the Moore County Sheriff’s Office Animal Services responded to a report of a potentially rabid raccoon at a residence on Oak Drive in Southern Pines. A week later, on Aug. 22, they were called to a home on Tucker Road in Whispering Pines concerning a potentially rabid fox.
Both animals were sent for testing and confirmed to be rabid, said Fields in a public service announcement. The two locations, roughly three miles apart, suggest a concerning proximity of these incidents.
This marks the ninth case of rabies in the county this year. Fields urges citizens to be vigilant in protecting themselves and their pets, especially in the locations specified but also throughout the entire county.
If you encounter wildlife around your residence displaying suspicious behavior that may be rabid, please contact Moore County Sheriff’s Office Animal Services at (910) 947-2858.
Contributed/file photo.
