The Department of Agriculture published notice of a Rabies General Quarantine Order under the state Domestic Animal Act covering domestic animals in the October 6 PA Bulletin.
One of the primary purposes of issuing the quarantine order was to change the quarantine period for unvaccinated domestic animals exposed to rabies from six months to 120 days based on the latest science, according to Dr. Kevin Brightbill, Assistant Director of the Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostics Services at the Department of Agriculture.
The quarantine period for vaccinated domestic animals was changed to an observation period from 90 to 45 days.
One concern about the distribution of rabies cases so far this year is the higher number of cases in Allegheny County, said Dr. Brightbill, where there is an active raccoon rabies vaccination baiting program to help prevent rabies in the state’s number one carrier of the disease.
The Department of Agriculture reports there have been 217 cases of rabies this year through August in domestic and wild animals. The counties with the highest number of cases are Lancaster (16), Allegheny (15), York (15) and Montgomery (10). Click Here for a map.
In 2017, 347 animals tested positive for rabies in Pennsylvania, just over 50 percent were raccoons, according to the Department of Health. The annual average of animal cases is 392.
Following raccoons in frequency of positive tests are cats, bats, skunks, foxes, groundhogs, cows, dogs, horses and coyotes.
The state Rabies Act requires dogs and cats to be vaccinated against rabies within 4 weeks after the date the dog or cat attains 12 weeks of age, and maintain a current rabies immunity as prescribed by rabies vaccine manufacturers.
The counties in the Southeast area of the state reported higher numbers of rabid animals than other areas, according to the PA Animal Rabies 2017 Report.
The last human rabies case reported in Pennsylvania was in 1984, according to the Report. There was a fatal human case of rabies in Delaware this year for the first time since 1941.
Quarantine Order
Rabies is designated a ''dangerous transmissible disease'' of animals under § 2321(a)(7) of the Act (relating to dangerous transmissible diseases).
The Department has broad authority under the Act to regulate the keeping and handling of domestic animals to exclude, contain or eliminate dangerous transmissible diseases. This includes the authority at § 2329(d) (relating to quarantine) to establish and enforce this General Quarantine Order.
The Quarantine Order says in part--
-- Establishes a General Quarantine applicable to the entire Commonwealth
-- Dogs, cats and other domestic animal bites, as well as other potential rabies virus exposure of humans are required to be reported to the Department of Health or local health authority
-- A veterinarian, public health official, or official representative of the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Health, or the Game Commission who suspects that a dog, cat or other domestic animal is exhibiting clinical signs consistent with rabies shall report the suspicion to the Department's Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services.
-- A dog, cat, or other domestic animal which, prior to exposure to a confirmed rabid or suspected rabid animal, was never vaccinated against rabies or where the owner or keeper can produce no proof of a prior vaccination shall be quarantined by the Department for a minimum of 120 days, unless euthanized.
-- A dog, cat, or other domestic animal which has been exposed to a confirmed or suspected rabid animal and has a valid and current vaccination against rabies at the time of exposure, shall be observed for clinical signs of rabies by the owner or keeper for 45 days. Any suspicion of rabies shall be reported to the Department.
The Quarantine Order remains in effect until rescinded or modified by the Department of Agriculture.
Click Here to read the entire Order.
For more information on rabies related to domestic animals, visit the Department of Agriculture’s Rabies webpage. Questions should be direct to 717-772-2852 or send email to: ra-ahds@pa.gov.
For information on rabies in wild animals, visit the Game Commission’s Rabies webpage.
Information on rabies in people can be found at the Department of Health’s Rabies webpage. Click Here for a rabies fact sheet.
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