The Truth About Rabies In Wildlife In Belleville Homes

Seeing a raccoon stumbling across a driveway in daylight or a bat flying around a bedroom can be unsettling for any Belleville household. Rabies is one of the first worries that comes to mind. It's a serious disease, but it's also one you can protect your family and pets from with a few clear rules. Below, we'll cover what rabies is, which wild animals can carry it, what unusual behavior looks like and what to do if wildlife gets too close. This article is general information, not medical advice. If you're worried about animals getting into your home, our wildlife removal services focus on keeping them out.

What Rabies Is

Rabies is a viral disease that affects the nervous system of mammals, including people. It's spread mainly through the saliva of an infected animal, most often through a bite. Once symptoms appear in a person, the disease is very serious, which is why public health agencies treat every possible exposure as urgent. The key point for homeowners is simple: prevention and quick action after a possible exposure are what matter.

Rabies isn't spread by simply seeing an animal in your yard, smelling a skunk or finding droppings. The concern is direct contact, such as a bite, a scratch or saliva getting into a cut, your eyes or your mouth. That's why the safest habit is to never handle wildlife, even an animal that looks hurt and in need of help.

Which Wild Animals Can Carry Rabies

Any mammal can get rabies, but some animals are far more likely to carry it than others. In New Jersey, the wildlife health officials watch most closely include:

• Raccoons. They live comfortably around homes, trash cans, sheds and attics.
• Bats. They can roost in attics and wall voids, and their bites can be very small.
• Skunks. They often den under decks, porches and sheds.
• Foxes. They move through yards, parks and wooded edges.
• Groundhogs. They burrow under sheds, decks and foundations.

Feral and stray cats can also get rabies, which is one more reason to avoid handling unfamiliar animals. Small rodents like mice, rats and squirrels are rarely linked to rabies, but you still shouldn't handle them.

Warning Signs In Wildlife

You can't tell for sure whether an animal has rabies just by looking at it. Some behaviors are red flags, though:

• Unusual boldness. A wild animal that approaches people or pets instead of running away.
• Aggression. Growling, charging or biting at objects without a clear reason.
• Stumbling or weakness. Wobbling, circling, dragging legs or seeming partly paralyzed.
• Strange tameness. A wild animal that seems confused or oddly calm around people.
• A bat on the ground. Bats that can't fly or are found where they shouldn't be, such as on a floor.

Seeing a nocturnal animal during the day isn't proof of rabies by itself. Raccoons and foxes sometimes forage in daylight, especially when they're raising young. Behavior is what matters.

What To Do If You See A Sick-Looking Animal

1. Keep your distance. Never touch, feed, corner or try to capture the animal.
2. Bring kids and pets inside. Keep everyone away until the animal is gone or handled.
3. Call animal control. Your local animal control officer or police non-emergency line handles animals that may be sick.
4. Don't touch a dead animal. Leave it for animal control, and use gloves and tools only if officials tell you it's safe.

If A Person Or Pet May Have Been Exposed

If a wild animal bites or scratches anyone, or if you find a bat in a room where someone was sleeping, contact a doctor and your local health department right away. They will tell you what steps to take. If your pet tangled with wildlife, call your veterinarian. Keeping your pets' rabies vaccinations up to date is one of the best ways to protect them, and your family, from the start.

How To Keep Wildlife Away From Your Home

• Secure trash. Use tight-fitting lids and keep cans in a garage or shed when possible.
• Feed pets indoors. Outdoor pet food draws raccoons, skunks and other animals.
• Seal openings. Close gaps around roofs, vents, chimneys, soffits and foundations.
• Block den sites. Close off the space under decks, porches and sheds once you're sure nothing is living there.

For more on making your yard less inviting to a frequent backyard visitor, read our guide on how to keep raccoons away.

When To Call A Professional

For an animal that looks sick or aggressive, call animal control first. For wildlife that is getting into your attic, walls or the space under your deck, our NJ DEP-licensed technicians can inspect your home, find how animals are getting in and seal entry points so they can't come back. We offer free inspections and same-day or next-day service.

Rabies is rare in people, and a few simple rules keep it that way. Give wildlife space, keep pets vaccinated and seal up the openings that invite animals into your Belleville home.