Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
MINUTES <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH <br />May 22, 2013 <br />Board of Health Minutes Transcription completed by Lisa Smith May 22, 2013 <br /> Page 3 <br />Dr. Bridger made board members aware of a possible rabies exposure involving an owned <br />dog with an unexplained wound. The dog was not current on his rabies vaccinations and is <br />not able to be caught by his owners or the animal control officer. It had been more than 2 <br />weeks at this point with all other methods and alternatives used to try and capture Lucky. <br />The concern is the possibility that Lucky could be incubating and ultimately break with <br />rabies since an animal could be incubating for months after an exposure this public health <br />risk. The statue mandates us that a dog or cat be destroyed immediately by its owner or <br />animal control officer unless the animal is currently vaccinated and receives a booster <br />vaccination within 96 hours of a possible exposure. The only alternative at this point would <br />be for the animal control officer to shoot Lucky as all other efforts to capture him have <br />failed. Board members agreed that while no one wants to make this decision they support <br />the health director’s authority to sign and order to uphold the statue. <br /> <br />VIII. Board Comments <br /> <br />IX. Adjournment <br /> <br />Susan Elmore made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:35 pm seconded by <br />Paul Chelminski and carried without dissent. <br /> <br />The next Board of Health Meeting will be held June 26, 2013 at the Orange County <br />Health Department, 300 West Tryon Street, Hillsborough, NC at 7:00 p.m. <br /> <br />Respectfully submitted, <br /> <br /> <br />Colleen Bridger, MPH, PhD. <br />Health Director <br />Secretary to the Board