The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is warning people to stay away from strange acting animals after a puppy was attacked by a rabid racoon in Bartow.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Animal Control Section, this is the fifth positive case of rabies in Polk in 2014.
On Thursday, December 25, 2014, a dog owner living at 930 80 Foot Road in Bartow heard his 4-month-old Catahoula-Pit Bull mix outside yelping. The dog’s owner ran outside and saw a raccoon attacking the puppy. The dog’s owner shot and killed the raccoon and called PCSO.
olk County Sheriff’s Animal Control Officers responded to impound the raccoon. The racoon was sent to the State Laboratory for rabies testing.
The raccoon was confirmed positive for rabies on Tuesday, December 30, 2014. The puppy was not vaccinated and was signed over by the owner for euthinzation.