Cat Quarantined After Bat

Found Dead In Hartwick

HARTWICK – A bat tested positive for rabies in the Town of Hartwick on Tuesday, and a cat found near the bat has been quarantined for six months, the county Health Department reports.

There was no human exposure, DOH reported, urging the public to stay away from stray or wild animals and instruct their children likewise.

Rabies is a viral infection that can be transmitted through the bite of a infected animal of contact with saliva to broken skin or mucus membranes.

State law required all dogs, cats and ferrets to be vaccinated against rabies.  If you unvaccinated pet comes into contact with a rabid animal, it must be put down or quarantined for six months at the owners expense.

For more information, call the DOH at 547-4230, or visit www.otsegocounty.com