PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) are alerting the public that a pony collected from Lincoln in the vicinity of Sherman Avenue has tested positive for rabies. The pony was euthanized on Friday, December 26. HEALTH is in the process of identifying and evaluating all of the people that had contact with the pony to determine whether they should receive post-exposure treatment. The pony was not vaccinated against rabies.
Rabies is able to infect all mammals, including humans but it is typically found in wild animals. The virus is found in the saliva and nervous system tissue of infected animals and is usually spread when a mammal is bitten by an infected animal.
All dogs, cats and ferrets are required by State law to have current vaccination against rabies. Horses, ponies, and other livestock species of animals are not required to be vaccinated unless they have public contact. Vaccination of pet animals prevents them from contracting rabies, and prevents people from becoming exposed to rabies from their pets. HEALTH and DEM make the following recommendations:
• Make sure dogs, cats and ferrets are properly vaccinated against rabies. It is the law. • Avoid all contact with stray, wild or free-roaming domestic animals. • Call HEALTH if you had any contact with this pony from December 1 onward. HEALTH will evaluate your exposure risk. • Call your local animal control officer if an animal you own has had contact with a stray, wild or free-roaming domestic animal. • Secure all trash so that animals will not be attracted to it. • Do not feed animals outdoors, as this will attract other animals. This is especially dangerous when feeding large numbers of free-roaming cats. • Do not leave pets outdoors loose or unattended.
For online information about rabies: http://www.health.state.ri.us/diseases/rabies/.