Hartford officials are reminding residents to be cautious around unfamiliar animals after a stray cat in the Blue Hills neighborhood tested positive for rabies.
Hartford police say the animal was captured and tested after biting two people who had been feeding it. Both victims received medical treatment.
The Hartford Police Department and Department of Health and Human Services reminds residents they should not approach wild animals and that all pets should be up-to-date on their vaccinations. They offer the following tips on how to protect both pets and humans.
- Avoid wildlife and animals you do not know.
- Keep your pet on a leash. Do not allow your pet to roam; it can come in contact with rabid wildlife.
- Never feed or touch wild or stray animals, especially stray cats, bats, skunks, raccoons, foxes or groundhogs.
- Teach your children that they should tell you if they were bitten or scratched by an animal.
- Call your doctor and the local health department if bitten or exposed to saliva or blood of a wild or stray animal.
- Contact your veterinarian if your pet was exposed to a bat, raccoon, skunk or other wild carnivore.
If you are bitten by an animal, wash the wound immediately and seek immediate medical attention. Any incidents should be reported to City Health and Human Services at (860) 757-4730 or Hartford Animal Control at (860) 757-4005.
For more information contact the Epidemiology Division of the Hartford Health and Human Services Department at (860) 757-4730 or click here.
