Potential rabies outbreak worries N.B. pet owners

Wayne Townsend is keeping a close eye on his dog Molly after he found a raccoon in his barn that later tested positive for rabies.

"I heard this growling and screeching noise coming towards me… so I jumped down. And as soon as I jumped down, I looked over top of me.”

The Waweig, New Brunswick found the sounds were coming from a raccoon. After shooting the animal, he was surprised to learn it was infected with rabies.

"I've never known rabies to be out in this area and I’m quite concerned with it. In 2002, we had an outbreak."

Dr. Tami Matheson, a veterinarian in St. Stephen, is also worried this could be the start of another outbreak.

"Last summer was the first one, then we had another one a couple of months later. We've had three or four in the last month, one actually attacking people.”

During the outbreak in 2002, the Department of Natural Resources stepped in to help with the issue. This is something that Matheson hopes happens in the future.

"I would like to see the trap vaccinate of the wildlife again that they did. They did a good buffer and for several years. They also did what's called a bait drop, which is where they drop the vaccine and the wildlife can pick it up."

Matheson has seen an increased number of dogs being brought in to be vaccinated, but she says it is not just dogs and cats that people should be worried about.

"Horses... pet goats and other things like that, that are exposed and that can be exposed.”

The veterinarian says signs will not show for several months so pet owners will  not be able to tell when and if their animal has been attacked.

Wayne Townsend says all his pets are vaccinated, but he plans to keep a close eye on them when they are outside.

"I'm just going to have to be careful, and watch where my animals go."

Townsend is encouraging others in southern New Brunswick to do the same.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ashley Blackford