Middletown Rabies Alert 12/29/15

Middletown Alerts:
December 29, 2015

The Middletown Township Health Department has received laboratory confirmation of a raccoon testing positive for Rabies. The animal had contact with a dog on December 24th, which required testing. The incident occurred in the area of Flomar Ave and Leonardville Road.

Residents should not be interacting with wildlife. If you come across a sick or injured animal, keep your distance and please contact Animal Control at 732-615-2097 immediately or contact the Police Department after hours and on weekends.

Please make sure all domestic animals (dogs, cats, and livestock) are currently vaccinated with a Rabies shot. Do not let your pets run free off leash, even in the woods, to ensure they do not come in contact with wildlife that may be rabid. Remember, Rabies is a fatal disease. The best course of defense is the vaccination of your pets and not handling or interacting with wildlife.

We would like to remind everyone that the Middletown Township Health Department will be providing free rabies vaccinations for dogs on January 23, 2016. The clinics will be held at the Croydon Hall Gym, 900 Leonardville Road in Leonardo from 9am-11am.

Middletown Rabies Alert #11

From Middletown Alerts:

The Middletown Township Health Department has received laboratory confirmation of 2 more raccoons testing positive for rabies, bringing the total of animal testing positive this year to 13. This latest incidents happened in the area of Maxson Court and Walnut Ave.

Over the past few months, the township Health Department has found and reported raccoons and one fox that have tested positive for Rabies. The previous locations of the animals were:

• Pate Drive
• Locust Point Road
• Pineridge Avenue
• Walnut Avenue between Pine Street and Chestnut Street
• 900 Leonardville Road, Croydon Hall Complex
• Route 35 between Kanes Lane and Kings Highway East
• Red Hill Road between Dwight Road and Deepdale Drive
• Michael Drive off of Nutswamp Rd
• Ueland Road off of Nutswamp Road
• Essex Street off of Bray Ave
• Clay Court off of Hartshorne Road

The township would like to alert residents about the dangers of interacting with any wildlife. Rabies can be found in many animals. The Health Department would also like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to keep their distance from all wildlife, ill appearing or not, and to also keep an eye on pets around these animals. Do not let dogs or cats run free where they may become in contact with wildlife. All dogs and cats must be licensed in Middletown, which requires that they all have current rabies vaccinations.

If you come across a sick or injured animal, keep your distance and please contact Animal Control at 732-615-2097 immediately or contact the Police Department after hours and on weekends. Remember, Rabies is a fatal disease. The best course of defense is the vaccination of your pets and not handling or interacting with wildlife.

Middletown Rabies Alert #7

From Middletown Alerts:

The Middletown Township Health Department has received confirmation of a seventh animal testing positive for Rabies.

The Animal Control Division responded to calls regarding a fox that appeared ill walking around the Croydon Hall Complex located at 900 Leonardville Road, Leonardo. Animal Control tracked down the animal and confirmed that the fox was presenting symptoms of disorientation, wobbly gait, aggressiveness and not being afraid of humans. The fox was captured by Animal Control and sent for testing. The New Jersey Public Health Laboratory has found that the fox was Rabid.

Over the past 2 months, the township Health Department has found and reported 6 raccoons that tested positive for Rabies, but this is the first in a fox. The previous locations of the raccoons were:

• Route 35 between Kanes Lane and Kings Highway East
• Red Hill Road between Dwight Road and Deepdale Drive
• Michael Drive off of Nutswamp Rd
• Ueland Road off of Nutswamp Road
• Essex Street off of Bray Ave
• Clay Court off of Hartshorne Road

The township would like to alert residents about the dangers of interacting with any wildlife. Rabies can be found in many animals. The Health Department would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to keep their distance from all wildlife, ill appearing or not, and to also keep an eye on pets around these animals. Do not let dogs or cats run free where they may become in contact with wildlife. All dogs and cats must be licensed in Middletown, which requires that they all have current rabies vaccinations.

If you come across a sick or injured animal, keep your distance and please contact Animal Control at 732-615-2097 immediately or contact the Police Department after hours and on weekends. Remember, Rabies is a fatal disease. The best course of defense is the vaccination of your pets and not handling or interacting with wildlife.

Middletown Rabies Alert #6

From Middletown Alerts:


The Middletown Township Health Department has received confirmation of a sixth raccoon testing positive for Rabies. The raccoon was captured and tested after a resident noticed the animal was acting sickly. The raccoon was found on Highway 35 between Kanes Lane and Kings Hwy East.



Previous cases were found over the last 2 months at the following locations:

• Red Hill Road between Dwight Road and Deepdale Drive,
• Michael Drive off of Nutswamp Road,
• Ueland Road off Nutswamp Road,
• Essex Street off of Bray Avenue,
• Clay Court off of Hartshorne Road,

The Middletown Township Health Department would like to remind residents to be aware of your pets when they are outside. Wildlife will be attracted to areas where residents put food out for their animals. Any dog or cat found to be in direct contact with a known rabid animal that is not properly immunized could be at risk. The domestic animal would be placed under either a strict 6 month confinement in a cage with no human contact or would be humanely euthanized to protect the family and the public from the Rabies virus.

It is imperative that all dogs and cats are licensed in the Township. A valid rabies shot is required for licensing and ensures that all of our domestic pets (dogs and cats) are protected and do not end up as noted above when found to be in contact with a rabid animal.

Residents should not be interacting with any wildlife. If you come across a sick or injured animal, keep your distance and please contact Animal Control at 732-615-2097 immediately or contact the Police Department after hours and on weekends. Remember, Rabies is a fatal disease. The best course of defense is the vaccination of your pets and not handling or interacting with wildlife.

Rabies Alert #3

From Middletown Alerts:

The Middletown Township Health Department has received laboratory confirmation of a raccoon testing positive for Rabies. This is the third report of a rabid animal this year. The raccoon was tested after it was found fighting with a dog. Luckily the family pet was currently vaccinated against Rabies and is only under a 45 day quarantine. The incident happened in the area of Ueland Road, located off of Nutswamp Road, Red Bank. This is the second raccoon found in the area, with the first one around Michael Drive.

In light of finding another rabid raccoon, we would like to remind residents about the possibility of wildlife being infected with Rabies. It is imperative that all domestic animals (dogs, cats, and livestock) are currently up to date with a Rabies vaccination.

Residents should not be interacting with wildlife. If you come across a sick or injured animal, keep your distance and please contact Animal Control at 732-615-2097 immediately or contact the Police Department after hours and on weekends. Remember, Rabies is a fatal disease. The best course of defense is the vaccination of your pets and not handling or interacting with wildlife.