MIAMI — After confirming five rabid animals in Miami-Dade County, the Miami-Dade County Animal Services Department (ASD) and the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County (DOH-Miami-Dade) issued a rabies alert for the Kendall area due to two more raccoons testing positive for rabies. According to an emailed statement from Gilda M. Nunez, “the initial 60-day alert was issued in May and was extended in July due to a subsequent case. It was set to expire in September, however the new cases confirmed late Friday resulted in another 60-day extension. Every time a positive case is confirmed a 60day rabies alert is issued.”

The rabies alert includes the following boundaries in Miami-Dade County:

SW 152 St. to the north.

SW 187 St. to the south.

SW 117 Ave. to the east.

SW 137 Ave. to the west.

An animal with rabies could infect other wild or domestic animals that have not been vaccinated against rabies. All domestic animals should be vaccinated against rabies and all wildlife contact should be avoided, particularly with raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, bobcats and coyotes. Rabies is a disease of the nervous system and is fatal to warm-blooded animals and humans. The only treatment for human exposure to rabies is rabies-specific immune globulin and rabies immunization. Appropriate treatment started soon after the exposure will protect an exposed person from the disease.

Residents and visitors are advised to take the following precautions:

Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all pets.

Keep your pets under direct supervision so they do not come in contact with wild animals. If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately and contact Miami-Dade Animal Services at 3-1-1.

Call 3-1-1 to report any stray dogs in your neighborhood. Private property owners can hire a nuisance wildlife trapper. For a local list, visit https://public.myfwc.com/HGM/NWT/NWTSearch.aspx.

Do not handle, feed or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or litter. Avoid contact with stray and feral animals.

Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.

Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly.

Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools and other similar areas where they might come in contact with people and pets.

Persons who have been bitten or scratched by wild or domestic animals should seek medical attention and report the injury to the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County at 305-324-2400.

Rabies vaccines are available seven days a week at Miami-Dade Animal Services or through a private veterinarian.

For more information, call the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County at 305-324-2400 or Animal Services at 3-1-1.