BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

CANTON -- Despite reports of rabies cases in neighboring counties, St. Lawrence County has been fortunate to not have any animals test positive for rabies to date in 2025. 

Public Health Director Erin Streiff confirmed the figure with North Country This Week and offered tips in the event someone may encounter an animal they believe has been infected with rabies. 

"We recommend that individuals do not touch or interact with live wild animals unless certified by the DEC to do so," she said. 

Streiff reiterated that rabies is spread through contact, so avoiding touching any suspected animals is crucial. 

"If an individual does inadvertently come into contact with a wild animal that is a vector species (e.g. bats, raccoons, skunks, foxes), we can test it to make sure it is not rabid. This is especially important for bats, so we ask that if an individual has a bat in their home they safely capture it and call us," she said. 

She said guidance in the proper procedures can be found by visiting www.cdc.gov/rabies/prevention/bats.html

To prevent rabies, St. Lawrence County Public Health offers free rabies clinics for pets. 

A rabies control program also provides resources for the public, including report forms, information on the report process, what to do when encountering bats in your homes, as well as additional resources. 

Yearly numbers are down significantly in St. Lawrence County, with 23 rabies post-exposure prophylaxis cases in CDESS, according to county officials. 

RPEP is an important medical treatment given to someone after they might have been exposed to the rabies virus, usually from a bite or contact with the saliva of an infected animal. 

Aside from the 23 RPEP cases, 22 refused treatment or participation, with no confirmed cases from 48 total submissions. 

That figure is far lower than 2024, which saw 125 total submissions and two confirmed cases of rabies. 

In 2023, 173 submissions were entered with two cases of rabies reported. 

Of the total number of samples taken since 2008, 1,033 were from raccoons, with bats being the second most prominent at 983 samples. 

From there it was a sharp declines to cats with just 171 total samples since 2008 and 156 samples from skunks over the same time period. 

A grand total of 2,779 samples have been submitted since 2008 with 101 positive samples. 

Racoons again made up the majority of positive samples, coming in at 49 total since 2008, with bats makes up the next largest contingent at 37 total positive samples. 

Skunks accounted for nine positive samples, with rodents accounting for three. 

Just one cat, one fox and one "domestic other" animal have tested positive for rabies since 2008. 

For more information about rabies prevention programs, visit www.stlawco.gov/Departments/PublicHealth/RabiesControl

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