Two cases of rabies in feral cats were reported in New Braunfels in the last two months. The animals were reported to animal control as exhibiting abnormal behavior, and were both picked up in an area that backs up to several thousand acres of open land.
Bryan Ruiz, Environmental Services Manager with the City of New Braunfels Planning & Community Development Department, says rabies has been detected in the wild animal population in New Braunfels...and that includes foxes, skunks, coyotes, and bats from Bracken Cave. But so far not in any pets.
Ruiz adds, "We don’t really have any domesticated animals that come up positive with rabies because everyone’s supposed to have their animals vaccinated, and if you do, it’ll prevent your animals from getting rabies if they make contact with another animal that does have it.”
So far, there have been no reports of rabies cases in humans, but once animals contact the disease, it is always fatal. “Once you start showing symptoms," says Ruiz, "whether it’s a cat or any type of animal, once symptoms are observed it’s going to be fatal at that point.”
Ruiz says that if you see any animal foaming at the mouth, or exhibiting a fear of water, or acting abnormally, don’t approach it and call an animal control officer.
