Rabid coyote found in neighboring county

The Monmouth County Health Department wants area residents to know that a coyote discovered wandering around in a neighboring county tested positive for rabies.

The State Public Health and Environmental Laboratories Rabies Laboratory confirmed on Jan. 23 that the coyote found in Bergen County was rabid, according to Michele Gallagher, the Local Information Network and Communication System coordinator for the Monmouth County Health Department.

The coyote was discovered wandering outside a high school during an athletic event on the night of Jan. 19. Mistaking the coyote for a sick dog, a concerned student picked it up and brought it into the school building, according to Gallagher.

The male student was bitten twice while carrying the animal inside. The animal was described as acting depressed, disoriented and docile, Gallagher said.

The police and the animal control officer responded to the scene. The animal was captured without further incident and taken to a veterinary facility for euthanasia and specimen submittal to the Public Health and Environmental Laboratories for rabies testing, according to Gallagher.

The veterinarian handling the animal reported that the animal had a heavy skunk odor and a bite wound on its neck, according to Gallagher.

Rabies post-exposure treatment has been started on the bite victim. The local health agency is investigating the incident to identify any additional persons who were in contact with the coyote or its saliva and may therefore need to be treated for rabies, Gallagher said.

This is the second rabid coyote in New Jersey since the raccoon rabies variant entered the state in 1989. Raccoon rabies most commonly infects raccoons, skunks, foxes and groundhogs, although all mammals are susceptible. More than 5,000 animals have been identified as rabid in New Jersey since 1989, according to Gallagher.

Area residents should keep their pets currently vaccinated against rabies and report any strange-acting or aggressive wildlife to animal control officials, according to Gallagher.