Raccoon tests positive for rabies in Orange County

Orange County's animal services department said Wednesday that a raccoon attacked by a dog in Chapel Hill has tested positive for rabies, making it the eighth confirmed case in the county this year.

Officials said a woman was walking her dog on her property Tuesday when it injured the animal. She reported to animal control that she had seen the raccoon moving slowly under her porch earlier in the day but that it retreated into the woods after noticing her.

The dog's rabies vaccination was current, and it will receive a booster shot.

State law, however, requires unvaccinated animals be either destroyed or quarantined for six months if they are exposed to the virus.

"Prevention is the best measure for effective rabies control," Bob Marotto, director of Orange County Animal Services, said in a statement. "Ensuring cats, dogs and ferrets are current on their rabies vaccinations is one of the most important responsibilities of a pet owner, since it can quite literally be the difference between life and death."

The county is offering rabies vaccinations for $10 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday at the Animal Services Center in Chapel Hill.

Last year, Orange County recorded 12 positive cases of the virus.