Long Island officials warn about spike in rabid animals found since July: What to know

Officials on Long Island are raising concern amid a spike in animals testing positive for rabies, and are pinning at least some of the blame for that rise on New York City.On Thursday, Nassau County Health Commissioner Dr. Irina Gelman said eight rabid raccoons and feral cats had been found since July in communities stretching from Cedarhurst to Massapequa Park. That comes after no animal had tested positive for rabies in the county since 2016.“We want to raise awareness, not alarm,” said Dr. Gelman.In one recent case, a Massapequa Park resident was bitten by an infected animal.“That was a rabid raccoon in a garbage can, I believe that jumped out prior to New Year’s [Day]. The resident was bitten and scratched,” the commissioner said.Dr. Gelman said more than 500 people in 2024 were bitten, scratched or came in close contact with a possibly rabid animal. Fortunately, there have been no human rabies cases.Frank Floridia, an animal rescuer on Long Island, called on residents to keep an eye on their pets and immediately report any wild creatures that don’t look well.“Everybody has to take extreme precautions. Everybody has to be worried about the situation. It’s life-threatening,” said Floridia. “It’s pretty scary that rabies is back on Long Island.”He said residents should keep an eye on their pets and immediately report any wild animals that look sick or unwell.So what has sparked the sudden rise in rabies cases? Nassau County said it is in part due to NYC’s failure in 2024 to bait for rabid animals along the Queens-Nassau border. City officials did not immediately respond to that claim, but the county health commissioner said they are talking with city health officials to attack the problem.