Dog quarantined after killing rabid skunk in NJ yard

A dog in South Jersey is being quarantined after killing a rabid skunk in its yard last week, according to officials in Camden County.

This all unfolded on Friday, May 16 when a dog found and killed a skunk in the backyard of a Cherry Hill home, officials said.

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An officer with Animal Control picked up the skunk and took it for rabies testing, according to officials. The Camden County Health Department was notified by the lab on May 21 that the skunk tested positive for rabies.

The owners of the dog were told about the skunk's test results and their dog is now "under confinement" for four months, Camden County officials explained.

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Tips to protect your pet from rabies:

Keep vaccinations up to date for all dogs, cats and ferrets.
Keep your pets under direct supervision so they do not come in contact with wild animals. If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately.
Contact your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood. They may be unvaccinated and could be infected by the disease.

Tips to protect yourself from rabies:

Enjoy wild animals such as raccoons, skunks and foxes from afar.
Do not handle, feed or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or liter.
Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.
Do not try to nurse sick animals to health. Call animal control or an animal rescue agency for assistance.
Teach children to never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they seem 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 or pets.
When traveling abroad, avoid direct contact with wild animals and be careful around dogs in developing countries. Rabies is common in developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Tens of thousands of people die of rabies each year in these countries.

For more information on rabies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, click here.