Rabid skunk found in Fort Collins

A rabid skunk was found in Fort Collins for the first time in five years.

A resident spotted the dead skunk Feb. 4 in the 6100 block of Normandy Court, near Portner Reservoir in southeast Fort Collins, according to the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment.

The resident's dogs made possible contact with the skunk but didn't need to be quarantined because they were up-to-date on vaccinations. No humans reported contact with the skunk, which tested positive for rabies.

Rabid skunks, while less commonly confirmed in Larimer County than rabid bats, can pose a greater threat to the public because they're ground-based animals and are more likely to interact with people and pets, health officials said.

Bats are the most common rabid animals found in Larimer County, but rabies can infect any warm-blooded mammal. In 2017, one skunk and seven bats tested positive for rabies in Larimer County. The rabid skunk was found in Loveland, and the bats were found in Loveland, Fort Collins and Laporte.

In 2013, the last time rabid skunks were found in Fort Collins, 35 skunks tested positive for rabies in Larimer County.

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If you see a skunk or bat behaving strangely, keep your distance and call Larimer Humane Society’s animal control line at 970-226-3647 and press 7 when prompted. For skunks, unusual behavior can include being out during the daytime, being aggressive, turning in circles, or appearing tame and unafraid of people or pets. Unusual bat behavior can include flying during the day.

Pet owners should keep their animals up-to-date on rabies vaccinations to prevent lengthy and costly quarantines and euthanasia that can result from encounters with a rabid animal, health officials said. Livestock owners should check with their veterinarians about rabies vaccinations for horses, cattle and other livestock.

For more information on rabies and a map of positive rabid animal reports in Larimer County, visit larimer.org/rabies.

Here are tips from the Larimer County health department to protect yourself and your family from rabies exposure:

Don't feed or touch wildlife.

Teach children to observe wildlife from a distance and to notify an adult if there's a wild animal in the area or they are bitten or scratched.

Eliminate food sources for wild animals by not feeding pets outdoors, closing pet doors (especially at night), and tightly closing garbage cans and feed bins.

Ensure that your pets, horses and livestock are up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations.

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