09/30/2023
This is a public service announcement to anyone who has outdoor pets in Kendall County or Boerne area. A sick raccoon, in Kendall County, was tested and was confirmed to have RABIES. The sick raccoon was located in an area near Highway 46W, just west of Interstate 10W and Home Depot area. The raccoon was in a fight with a medium size dog before the county animal control person retrieved the raccoon and had it tested for rabies. The raccoon was NOT foaming at the mouth and did not have scraggly hair, like we hear that rabid animals might have. It actually looked okay, except that it had a hard time walking normally after being in the fight with the dog. Please protect all your outdoor domestic pets (dogs & cats), since that raccoon might not be the only rabid wild animal in the Boerne/Kendall County area. Keep a close eye on young children, too, when they are outside. The area where the raccoon was located is known to have many wild animals, such as coyotes, foxes, skunks, raccoons, porcupines, deer, stray dogs, feral cats, etc, so other animals in the area could also have rabies and could spread it to other areas in Kendall County. Many of these animals can travel far in a 24 hour period. Be sure that all of your pets are up to date with their rabies vaccines and that you keep them indoors or in areas where wild animals cannot get to them. If you suspect that any wild animal is sick, please contact Kendall County Animal Control and have them retrieve and test the wild animal for rabies. This is the first confirmed/reported case of rabies in a wild animal in Kendall County since the first of 2023. There was one confirmed case of rabies in one bat in Kendall County earlier this year. No other cases have been confirmed, but just be aware that this raccoon case was a confirmed rabies case. Rabies is not a disease that you want your pets or family members to be exposed to. Stay alert and stay safe.