Rabid raccoon captured in Camden County

Camden County officials are asking residents to stay alert after a rabid raccoon was captured in Berlin Borough.

According to officials, the Animal Control Officer for Berlin Borough picked up the animal from a resident's yard and it was submitted for rabies testing at the state Public Health & Environmental Laboratories in Trenton. The Camden County Health Department was notified this week that the animal was rabid.

Officials said there are no known human exposures to this raccoon, only a potential exposure to the resident’s dog.

“Although rabies is a serious illness, it can be prevented by early treatment,” liaison to the Camden County Health Department Commissioner Virginia Betteridge said in a news release. “If you have been bitten or scratched by a wild animal it is important that you seek immediate medical attention.”

Get Philly local news, weather forecasts, sports and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters.

Betteridge advises pet owners to do the following:

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.

Betteridge adds it's important to avoid direct contact with unfamiliar animals.

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 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 especially 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, you can visit www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/ or call the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services at 856-374-6370.