Caribou in Coral Harbour tests positive for rabies
Public told to avoid contact with sick wildlife
Health officials are urging residents to avoid contact with sick or aggressive animals and to report unusual behaviour to local authorities after a caribou in Coral Harbour tested positive for rabies. The animal was seen attacking heavy equipment before dying on April 9. (File photo)
A caribou that was seen behaving aggressively in Coral Harbour earlier this spring has tested positive for rabies.
The animal, which died after reportedly attacking heavy equipment on April 9, was tested following the incident, said a public health advisory released Tuesday by the Department of Health.
The advisory didn’t say how the caribou died.
Rabies in caribou is extremely rare.
The advisory urges people to take precautions when encountering animals that appear sick or are behaving abnormally.
People are warned not to eat meat from suspected rabid animals and not to feed it to dogs.
“Due to the danger of rabies, the Department of Health advises to dispose of any meat harvested from an animal that has or is suspected to have rabies,” the advisory said.
Anyone who may have been bitten or scratched by a rabid animal should immediately report to the local health centre. Rabies is nearly always fatal if not treated quickly.
Pet owners are also being asked to monitor domestic animals, especially those tied up outside, for symptoms such as aggression, staggering, choking or excessive drooling. Wild animals infected with rabies may appear unusually tame or fearless.
People who spot animals displaying these signs should avoid contact and report the sighting to the Environmental Health Office or a local conservation officer at 1-866-857-4444.
It would be great if Health could provide details on how to safely “dispose” of meat that may be infected by rabies. I think bagging it and sending it to the dump still risks spreading the disease to dogs or other scavengers. This seems like a biohazard that should be treated accordingly.
the best way to discard any animal that has is suspicious of having rabies is to burn the carcass.