Two rabid raccoons have been located in Cherokee County, but no humans were exposed to them, according to county officials. A few pets were not so fortunate.
Three dogs exposed to rabies were given booster shots and are being quarantined for 45 days, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office. All three dogs were up-to-date on their vaccinations, helping to contain the spread of the disease, officials said.
On May 22, a raccoon attacked two Rottweilers at a Woodstock home, according to Lt. Jay Baker with the sheriff's office. In a separate incident, a raccoon attacked a Jack Russell Terrier in Canton on May 25, Baker said. Both raccoons tested positive for rabies.
“So far this year, these are the only two confirmed cases of rabies in the county,” said Glen Gordy, of Cherokee County Environmental Health.
The rabid Cherokee raccoons are the latest animals around the metro area to test positive for the disease. Rabies is a virus that affects the central nervous system of mammals and causes death if untreated.
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