NORFOLK, Va. — The Norfolk Health Department said a raccoon they picked up from the Colonial Place neighborhood on August 20 has tested positive for rabies.

The animal was found near the 400 block of Rhode Island Avenue that day.

The raccoon had to be euthanized, and the test results came back Monday: positive for rabies.

The case serves as another reminder to vaccinate your pets against the dangerous disease, and try to limit contact with wild animals.

The health department also wanted to reach out to the community, to make sure no people came into contact with the sick animal. Rabies is fatal, but preventable.

If anyone has been bitten or scratched by a raccoon in that area, it’s important to seek medical treatment. 

Call the health department at 757-683-2712.