Hanover County has set a record no one is bragging about.

The county had 30 confirmed cases of rabies last year. That's the highest incident rate in more than 10 years and an 88 percent jump from 2006, when 16 cases were reported.

"It is a scary number," said Sgt. Kevin Kilgore, Hanover's chief of animal control. "Even one case is a scary case when a rabid animal is in your yard."

Hanover averages 12 rabies cases a year, Kilgore said. Four have been reported so far in 2008.

"We've just got a lot more people in Hanover and a lot less habitat for wildlife to hide in," he said.

That means rabid raccoons, skunks and foxes are more likely to come into contact with people and their pets.

But it's not just wild animals carrying the disease. Hanover reports one or two rabid cat cases every year. The felines typically come from feral colonies.

"We love our animals in Hanover," Kilgore said. "We love our cats. Whether it's a barn cat or house cat, it needs to be vaccinated."

The state code requires all cats and dogs to be vaccinated against rabies. People should take their pets to the veterinarian annually and keep current with shots.

"Rabies should be taken seriously," said Dr. Catherine McManus, a veterinary epidemiologist with the Virginia Department of Health. "It is a fatal disease. Once you become symptomatic, you will die."

To protect yourself, never approach wildlife. Take caution around dogs and cats you don't know.

The best way to protect your pet is to keep it on your property. Hanover enforces a leash law year-round in residential areas, but it only covers rural areas April through June. Kilgore would like to see a year-round leash law for all areas.

"It would keep the disease from spreading," he said. "If you keep your animal confined on your property, there is a much smaller chance it will find itself in a situation where it is eye-to-eye with a wild animal."
Contact Janet Caggiano at (804) 649-6157 or jcaggiano@timesdispatch.com.