Florida Department of Health issues rabies alert for South-Eastern Port Orange Area.

Written by Anthony Bicy

Belden Communications News

On June 8th, a stray cat tested positive for rabies, prompting the Florida Department of Health in Volusia County to issue a rabies alert for the South-Eastern Port Orange area.

Briarwood Mobile Estates is the center of the rabies alert and includes the following boundaries for parts of Port Orange, including Allendale and Harbor Oaks:

• Eastern Boundary, Halifax River water body
• Northern Boundary, Oak Street
• Southern Boundary, Rose Bay water body
• Western Boundary, Country Lane, and Taylor Road East of Country Lane

All residents and visitors in Volusia County should be aware that their pets could be at risk since rabies is present in the wild animal population. 

For safety concerns, residents and visitors are encouraged to take the following precautions:

• Keep vaccinations up to date for all pets.
• Keep your pets under your direct supervision.
• Call your local animal control agency to remove stray animals.
• Do not handle or feed wild animals.
• Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals.
• If bitten, seek medical attention and report the injury to the Department of Health at (386)274-0634.

The rabies alert will last for 60 days.

For more information on rabies, visit the Florida Department of Health’s website here.