Raccoon Tests Positive for Rabies in Vernon; Two Dogs Get Booster Shots

A raccoon found in the town of Vernon has tested positive for rabies, the Oneida County Health Department said in a Nov. 4, 2026 release. Two dogs that were exposed got booster vaccinations. The county's announcement didn't give an exact location.

Questions or a possible exposure? Call the Oneida County Health Department at 315-798-5064, answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

What the county tells residents every time:

• Stay away from wild or stray animals acting strangely: unusually aggressive, unusually tame, drooling or foaming.
• Report an animal behaving oddly to your local animal control officer or police; the state DEC line is 1-844-332-3267.
• New York law requires dogs, cats and ferrets to be vaccinated by 4 months old, with a second dose a year later. Dogs and cats then need a booster every three years, ferrets every year.

The county posts upcoming low-cost vaccination clinics at oneidacountyny.gov/rabies.