Florida Dept of Health – Nassau
Contact: Jason Miller
[email protected]
March 30, 2019 11:00 a.m.
Nassau County – The Florida Department of Health in Nassau County (DOH-Nassau) is lifting the rabies alert for northwest Nassau County. The alert has been in place since January 22nd when a cat tested positive for rabies.
There has not been another positive laboratory result for rabies within 60 days. This is an appropriate time frame to lift the health advisory. However, in Florida there is a risk of rabies transmission year round.
The following are steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones against rabies:
• Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all pets and at-risk livestock.
• Do not allow your pets to run free. Follow leash laws by keeping pets and livestock secured on your property. If your pet or livestock are bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately and contact Nassau County Animal Services at 904-530-6150, or the Nassau Humane Society at 904-491-0122 for incidents in the city of Fernandina Beach.
• Support animal control in efforts to reduce feral and stray animal populations.
• Spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or regularly vaccinated.
• Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with outdoor food sources such as uncovered trash or litter.
• Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.
• Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly.
• Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools, and other similar areas, where they might come in contact with people and pets.
• Persons who have been bitten or scratched by wild or domestic animals should seek medical attention and report the injury to DOH-Nassau at 904-875-6100.
For further information on rabies, go to http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-andconditions/rabies/index.html, or contact DOH-Nassau at 904-875-6100.
About the Florida Department of Health
The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.
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