Rabid skunk prompts official warning

WAYNE — Town officials are urging area residents to use caution after a rabid skunk was found at Beaver Brook Campground.

The animal, which was acting agressively toward campers, was was taken from the campground Saturday and later confirmed to have rabies, Town Manager Aaron Chrostowsky said in a statement.

He urged residents in the area of the campground, on Androscoggin Lake near the Leeds and North Monmouth town boundaries, to avoid contact with wild animals and make sure pets are vaccinated against rabies.

Rabies causes animals to exhibit altered and often bizarre behavior.

“A friendly dog may become withdrawn or aggressive, or an aloof animal may become unusually affectionate or aggressive,” Chrostowsky said. A rabid animal may eat or chew things such as wood, soil, stones, plants or other foreign objects. One of the most prominent signs is often excessive drooling or foaming at the mouth.

Anyone who sees an animal exhibiting these symptoms should call their town’s animal control officer. In Wayne that number is 212-9695.
 

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