LITHONIA — A dead cat found in the Lithonia area of DeKalb County has tested positive for rabies, county officials confirmed Sunday.

What’s Happening: The test came back positive May 3. DeKalb County typically confirms several rabies cases each year, and the virus circulates in Georgia all year long.

What’s Important: Rabies attacks the brain. It spreads through saliva — usually from a bite — and can pass from animals to people. Vaccines protect both pets and humans.

What Residents Should Do: Pet owners need to make sure their animals are vaccinated and that the vaccination tag is registered with DeKalb County Animal Control. Both are required under county rules. Residents should also take down outdoor pet food stations and lock up garbage cans, which can draw wild animals close to homes. Anyone bitten or scratched by an animal should see a doctor right away.

Wild Animal Trapping: Animal control will only trap wild animals if a person or a pet has been bitten or scratched. Residents who spot an animal acting strangely should call DeKalb County Animal Control to report it.

Contact: DeKalb County Animal Control can be reached at (404) 294-2996 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or at (404) 294-2519 after hours.

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B.T. Clark is the Publisher of The Georgia Sun and author of Principles Are Like Pants… You Ought to Have Some. Over two decades in journalism, he has served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc., earning multiple awards along the way. His work has appeared in newspapers across the state, including The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal.

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