CLARKESVILLE — Habersham County Animal Care and Control Director Madi Hawkins had to take matters into her own hands when a suspected rabid skunk headed onto an elementary school playground in Clarkesville last week.
On Wednesday, March 22, a resident called to report a skunk acting strangely in Clarkesville. An animal control officer responded and saw the animal staggering through yards and across the road, toward the fence at Clarkesville Elementary School, according to Hawkins.
Since the responding officer was not vaccinated for rabies, Hawkins responded as the other officer following the suspected rabid animal on foot to ensure it did not escape.
"I arrived and captured the skunk with a jacket as it was attempting to crawl under a fence," Hawkins said Tuesday night. "Due to the need to hand capture the animal, the clinical signs I observed, and the location of the animal in a high-risk area, I advised the health department to test the specimen, at a cost of about $198 to the animal control department."
The skunk was euthanized and submitted for testing, with results received Tuesday, March 28, confirming the animal was rabid.
Also on March 22, animal control officers were called to Chisom Trail outside Clarkesville, where a 3-month-old puppy had been scratched by a raccoon.
The puppy was too young to be vaccinated for rabies, so when test results on the raccoon returned positive on Tuesday, March 28, Hawkins said unfortunately the puppy will be euthanized.
"We are in a rural area and it is common to observe wildlife, especially in the springtime, but we urge residents to avoid direct contact with wildlife, whether dead or alive," Hawkins said.
Any wildlife contact with humans or domesticated animals should be reported to Habersham County Animal Care and Control at (706) 839-0195 as soon as possible after the encounter. Also, any wildlife displaying signs of abnormal behavior should be reported, especially bats, foxes, raccoons and skunks.
