Westchester County officials search for people who dropped off a rabid cat to Yonkers Animal Hospital
Westchester county officials are trying to locate the individuals who brought a rabid cat to the Yonkers Animal Hospital.
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Westchester County officials are trying to locate the individuals who brought a rabid cat to the Yonkers Animal Hospital.
"They dropped it off there and the animal hospital didn’t get their information," says Chris Ericson, deputy commissioner for the Division of Environmental Health at the Westchester County Health Department.
Officials say when the cat was dropped off, the man was wearing an orange camouflage jacket and the woman carried the cat in a beige tote bag and wore a black jacket and a black hat with a pom-pom.
The county Health Department says these individuals are not in trouble, but they need to warn them that they may have been exposed to the rabies virus.
"These two people who really did a good deed and dropping off this cat, we just want to talk to them about did they have any potential exposure," says Ericson.
County health officials say the cat appeared to be less than a year old and had likely been struck by a vehicle. The cat tested positive for rabies and died.
Health officials say rabies can be fatal but also preventable with post-exposure treatments.
Ericson says while these two individuals may not need treatment, it’s crucial to get in contact with them to find out.
"Once symptoms arise from rabies, there’s basically death involved with that, so there’s really no treatment once symptoms arise," he says.
He added symptoms can move quicker depending on where a bite is.
"If the bite happens and it’s closer to the head or the neck and it’s an aggressive bite, then we could have symptoms that onset much quicker," says Ericson.
County health officials say if you are one of these individuals or know them, please call the Westchester County Health Department immediately at 914-813-5000. This line is available 24/7.
