Rabid Raccoon Found In Edgefield County

Rabid Raccoon Found In Edgefield County

George Bryant notified the Advertiser that, on May 18, a neighbor driving by his house noticed an unhealthy looking raccoon in the Bryant yard, on Garrett Road. George suggested to the neightbor that they get on his golf cart and go find the raccoon, which they did, noticing that truly it was “not right.”

They searched for what to do with such a raccoon and got in touch with DHEC in Aiken. After some negotiating they took the raccoon, which they had killed, to Aiken and left it there for testing.  This was on May 19.  On May 20, they heard back from DHEC that indeed the raccoon was rabid, “tested positive for rabies.”

DHEC suggested they let the neighbors and community know, which they did by phone calls and by informing this newspaper.

Mrs. Bryant, in a short interview this week, stated: “Hopefully it was the only raccoon in that condition, [but we don’t know].”