St. Joseph and LaPorte Counties, Indiana residents should not be alarmed at the recent local discoveries of a rabies-positive bat in each county. While this diagnosis indicates the presence of the disease in the area, all Hoosiers should take a few common sense precautions every day to protect their families and pets against the disease, regardless of where they live. Rabies is a viral disease spread primarily through the bite of an infected animal. Do not feed or handle wild animals, and secure any trash and pet food in animal-proof containers.
Wild animals are generally active at night and avoid contact with people.
Daytime contact with people is unusual, and should be viewed suspiciously. Indiana law requires all cats, dogs and ferrets 3 months of age and older be vaccinated against rabies once each year. Pets should be kept close to home, as free-roaming animals are at higher risk of exposure to rabies. If your pet is bitten or attacked by a wild animal, contact your veterinarian and local animal control. Your pet will need a booster if the biting animal is determined to be rabid.