Nassau County Department of Health Reminds Residents to Avoid Contact with Wild or Feral Animals and Vaccinate Pets
Mineola, NY – The Nassau County Department of Health (NCDOH) announced that a feral cat collected in South Hempstead tested positive for rabies. This marks the second confirmed case of terrestrial rabies in wildlife for Nassau County in 2026, following a rabid raccoon identified in January. Residents are reminded to avoid contact with wild or feral animals and keep their pets up to date on rabies vaccinations.
Recently, NCDOH completed its Fall Raccoon Rabies Control Program, during which oral rabies vaccine baits were distributed throughout Nassau County to help prevent the spread of rabies among wildlife. Since the resurgence of terrestrial rabies in Nassau County in 2024, NCDOH has expanded its rabies control efforts, contributing to a significant decline in confirmed cases from twenty-seven in 2025 to two thus far in 2026.
"The decline in confirmed rabies cases this year is encouraging and reflects the success of our ongoing rabies control efforts," said Nassau County Commissioner of Health Dr. Irina Gelman. "However, this latest case serves as an important reminder that rabies is still present in Nassau County. We urge residents to avoid contact with wild and feral animals and make sure their pets are up to date on rabies vaccinations."
Rabies is a viral disease that is spread to humans and pets primarily through bites, scratches, or salivary contact to open wounds, eyes, nose, or mouth, from an infected animal.
To protect yourself from possible exposure to rabies:
- Do not feed or touch wild animals, feral cats or dogs, and discourage them from seeking food near your home.
- Ensure pets are up to date on rabies vaccinations, including dogs, cats, ferrets, horses, and livestock. Pets too young to be vaccinated should be kept indoors and allowed outside only under direct supervision.
- Keep family pets indoors at night. Do not leave them outside unattended or let them roam free.
- Advise your family against approaching any unknown animal – wild or domestic – especially those acting abnormally.
- If a wild animal is on your property, immediately bring children and pets indoors and let the animal wander away. You may contact a nuisance wildlife control expert who can remove the animal.
- Do not touch dying or dead animals. If you must move them, use a shovel, wear heavy rubber gloves, double bag the carcass, and place it in your outdoor trash can.
Any individual bitten or scratched by an animal should seek immediate medical care and then call NCDOH at 516-227-9663 (or 516-742-6154 afterhours, including weekends). No human cases of rabies have been reported in Nassau County to date due to the availability and effectiveness of immediate post-exposure prophylaxis medical treatment.
Residents should report if their pets have been bitten or scratched by a wild or feral animal to NCDOH. Residents are also asked to report any dead, sick, or abnormal acting animals by emailing rabies@nassaucountyny.gov for possible collection and rabies testing.
For additional information on rabies visit the Nassau County Department of Health website linked here.