Rabid animals are counted by the hundreds each year in New Jersey. Nearly 50 cases were spotted in the first quarter of 2015, and that number is expected to shoot up during the warmer months.
Brick police are warning residents to be on alert, especially those with small children and pets, after a rabid racoon was discovered last week in the Birchwood Park section of the Township on Redwood Drive.
Six cases of rabid bats in Middlesex County this year have some residents on edge. But the State Veterinarian says the numbers are not a cause for undue alarm.
Rabies cases remain stable for a fifth year in a row in New Jersey. State Health Officials report a total of 293 confirmed cases for 2011. However, that doesn't mean residents should let their guards down around animals.