Two Rabid Skunks Captured in Berlin Area

Berlin Animal Control and Rocky Hill Animal Control have captured two rabid skunks in town after reports including an incident where one bit a resident, officials confirmed.

The Central Connecticut Health District late last week released the following press release after their capture:

Two rabid skunks were captured during the week of Sept. 9, one in Berlin and the other in Rocky Hill. Three people were exposed to these animals and were required to undergo post-exposure treatment, as rabies can be deadly in humans.


Any mammal can get rabies, whether wild or domesticated. The most common wild animals that carry rabies are raccoons, skunks, bats, foxes, and coyotes. However, cats, dogs, and cattle also are susceptible to the virus.

Rabies is a disease that attacks the nervous system. It is usually transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal into an open wound or the mucous membranes of the eyes or mouth of an uninfected person or animal.

The most common mode of transmission of the rabies virus to people is through the bite of an infected animal. Handling a rabid animal, or coming into contact with its blood, urine, or feces, does not result in transmission of the disease. Any infected material from the rabid animal would generally become noninfectious when it is exposed to the sunlight and dries out.

To learn more about rabies in both humans and animals, contact the Centers for Disease Control at 1-800- CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636), or visit www.cdc.gov/rabies.

For more information, contact the Central Connecticut Health District, (860) 721-2822; or visit www.ccthd.org.

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