Officials said a dead raccoon tested positive for rabies, making that the sixth rabies case this year in Polk County.
The dead raccoon was discovered Friday when a man who lives on Sand Mountain Road in Fort Meade went looking for his two dogs and found them by the carcass.
Animal control officers sent the dead raccoon to the state laboratory for rabies testing. The positive results came back on Wednesday.
This is the sixth time in five months that an animal has tested positive for rabies in Polk County.
- Jan. 12 - a dog attacked and killed a raccoon in the 4800 block of Elam Road in Lakeland
- March. 9 - a dog was found barking at a bat in the yard of a home on Lake Tennessee Drive in Auburndale
- March 17 - three stray dogs attacked and killed a raccoon on property located on Flood Court in Bartow
- April 29 - a resident of Broken Arrow Trail in Lakeland found his dogs with a dead raccoon
- May 5 - a man encountered a bat in the driveway of his home on Pine Street in Mulberry
Bats and raccoons are among the mammals that are considered high-risk species for rabies. Residents are asked to avoid any animal that is acting in an unusual or suspicious manner.
Anyone who thinks they or their pet may have been exposed to rabies is asked to call Polk County Animal Control at 863-499-2600.