News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:	Wednesday, February 5, 1997
Contact:	Tom Brannan, Assistant City Manager, (703) 838-4300; Amy Bertsch, Public Information Officer Alexandria Police Department, (703) 838-4636

Alexandria Expands Rabies Alert Area

The area of the City of Alexandria covered by a Rabies Alert has been expanded based on three newly confirmed cases of rabies in raccoons found in the north Old Town, north Del Ray and Braddock Road Metro Station areas. Since January 1, there have been a total of six confirmed cases of rabies in animals, including two cases of rabies in cats and four in raccoons.
The Alexandria Health Department urges residents of the City to protect themselves and their pets from this deadly disease by staying away from outdoor animals, reporting raccoons and stray dogs and cats that appear to be sick or injured, and by getting pets vaccinated against rabies.

"Rabies is an urgent public health concern that requires our citizens to take necessary precautions," said Alexandria Mayor Kerry J. Donley. "Pet owners can best protect themselves and their families by staying away from stray animals and by keeping their pets indoors and getting them vaccinated against rabies. But even with up-to-date vaccinations, dogs and cats should be kept away from stray animals during this Rabies Alert, and dogs and cats should be taken outdoors only on a leash," said Mayor Donley. "Parents should also tell their children to stay away from outdoor animals."

"We appreciate the cooperation we have received from residents and pet owners," said City Manager Vola Lawson. "We believe there are still many pet owners who have not yet vaccinated their cats and dogs. They is urgent that pet owners ensure that their animals’ rabies vaccinations are up to date, not only for the health of their pets, but also for their families and the entire Alexandria community," said Mrs. Lawson.

"We are also urging citizens to call the Alexandria Animal Shelter and report the location of raccoons, dogs and cats that appear sick or injured or that are acting strangely," said Mrs. Lawson. "For public health reasons, it is very important that these animals do not come into contact with pets or humans," said Mrs. Lawson. The Animal Shelter can be reached at 838-4775, or citizens may call the Alexandria Police non-emergency number, 838-4444, to report an animal that shows signs of having rabies. The tell-tale signs of rabies are staggering and either aggressive or lethargic behavior.

Since January 1, there have been six confirmed cases of rabies in animals within the City -- four involving raccoons and two involving cats. The raccoons were captured or recovered at the following locations: Jan. 1, on Tennessee Avenue; Feb. 4, in the 200 block of E. Clifford Ave.; Feb. 4, in the 200 block N. St. Asaph St.; and Feb. 5, in the 400 block of Earl St. The two cats were recovered at the following locations: Jan. 16, in the 1800 block of Mt. Vernon Ave.; and Jan. 26, in the 2400 block of Leslie Ave.

Coordinating the City’s response to this outbreak of raccoon and cat rabies is a Rabies Work Group of City and Health Department staff. The Rabies Work Group includes representatives from the City Manager’s Office, the Alexandria Health Department, the Police Department, the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, and the Department of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities.

The Work Group’s efforts have focused on the following activities:

• Monitoring the incidence of rabies in the city and the testing of animals that exhibit behavior characteristic of rabid animals;
• Scheduling rabies clinics for pet owners and arranging for special low-cost rabies vaccinations;
• Targeting public health education efforts in the affected neighborhoods.
• Setting up a special Rabies Information Hot Line -- 370-5787 -- available 24 hours a day to provide the latest information on the Rabies Alert.
• Information flyers on the Rabies Alert have been distributed door-to-door throughout the affected neighborhoods. The bi-lingual flyers were also sent home earlier this week with students at the George Washington Middle School, Mt. Vernon Elementary School, Maury Elementary School, Cora Kelly Elementary School, and Jefferson-Houston Elementary School.
• Letters have also been mailed to private contractors working in Alexandria alerting their field workers to the rabies problem.
• News rel eases have been distributed to the news media and posted on Jones Communications’ cable channels 11 and 12, and on the City’s Internet home page.
• In addition, today and tomorrow, City sanitation crews, Police Officers, Animal Shelter employees, and volunteers will be leafleting a three-square-mile area of the City where the six rabid animals were discovered. The area is bordered on the north by Four Mile Run, on the west by Commonwealth Avenue and West Glebe Road, on the west by the Potomac River, and on the south by Cameron Street.