DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. — The Davidson County Health Department, on Tuesday, announced they had come in contact with the first case of rabies for the new year in the town of Tyro.

On Jan. 31, a home owner found a rabid skunk inside her dog’s cage with him. The owner, who lives on a stretch of Tyro Road, shot and kill the skunk before it had any contact with her pet.

Tests confirmed the skunk was rabid. The dog’s owner confirmed that her dog was up to date on all of its shots. However, he is being kept in quarantine for the next several weeks.

“You hear of things being rabid every year, but you never think about it right here at your doorstep,” explained Larry Shoaf. He owns a Norwegian Goat Farm just a few hundred yards away from where the rabid skunk was found.

Though he’s not concerned about his 30 or so goats form getting rabies, he is concerned for his dog Angel, despite her having her rabies vaccinations.

“I mean we keep her in the fence, but I mean, other than that, I don’t know how you protect from something wild like that.”

Animal control stresses to avoid making contact with any wild animal that looks to be acting out of the norm. If you see something contact animal control immediately.