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A sixth rabid raccoon has been found in the same Long Island town since January — sparking concern from officials who say the last time one of the sick animals was discovered in the area was
2009. The diseased varmints have turned up in Amityville in Suffolk County along its border with Nassau County. “I think that’s a concern there,” Suffolk Health Commissioner Dr. Gregson
Pigott told The Post on Tuesday. “People are outside more. They’re walking around, gathering, and they have their pets outside. It’s more opportunity to interact with wildlife,” he said. The
most recent rabid-raccoon case, which came four days after the previous one, was called in by a resident who saw the animal outside acting sick on May 10, according to the Suffolk County
Department of Health Services. EXPLORE MORE The raccoon was caught, put down and tested for the potentially deadly disease. Since Jan. 28, rabid raccoons have been found in residential areas
either north or slightly south of Sunrise Highway, Pigott said, adding that some were in backyards and others on the roads. A rabid bat has also been found in Suffolk since the start of the
year. No rabid animals have been found so far this year in Nassau County, although there were several discovered there last year. “Residents should look for a raccoon that appears
disoriented, is walking in circles or is more aggressive than usual,” he said, adding that pet owners must ensure their animals are vaccinated against rabies. “Usually, raccoons avoid
people. If the raccoon seems to be more aggressive or wants to interact, just run the other way.” Suffolk is coordinating an oral rabies vaccine bait drop for the area around Amityville
along with the US Department of Agriculture for the end of the summer. The months-long wait is strategic, Pigott said. “The best time to do it, the USDA says, is in late August or September.
Now they’re having their litters, so they have their baby raccoons, they are young and are being fed by their mom and dad,” he said. “They have to learn how to forage, so at the late-summer
mark, they’re now more independent, the young, and so it’s better to bait at that particular time.” The oral bait is contained in a small “ketchup-like packet” tucked away in a
fish-flavored “big biscuit,” according to the commissioner. “That will stop the spread of this virus in its tracks,” he said.
