Officials have confirmed a skunk found in Arvada was infected with rabies — the first such case ever recorded.
According to a news release from the Jefferson County Public Health department, this is the first “terrestrial wild animal” that has tested positive for rabies in Jefferson County.
Nancy Braden, a spokeswoman for the department, said county officials have found rabies in bats, but never an animal like a skunk or squirrel.
“It just shows it’s a growing problem,” Braden said.
The skunk came in contact with a dog that was vaccinated, but no humans, as far as officials are aware.
County officials are now strongly urging the public to vaccinate all domestic pets and valuable livestock, and say they will now treat any encounter between domestic animals and wild animals as one that may be an exposure to a rabid animal.
That would include putting unvaccinated animals on a 180-day quarantine.
People or animals can get rabies from the bite of a rabid animal or from a rabid animal’s saliva if it comes in contact with their eyes, nose, mouth or open wounds.
Yesenia Robles: 303-954-1372, yrobles@denverpost.com or @yeseniarobles
