Franklin County officials are urging residents to take preventative steps as the number of rabies cases in the area continues to rise. According to county data, there have been 15 confirmed rabies cases in 2025, which is three times higher than the total reported in 2024. Officials warn that rabid animals could remain active for several more weeks.
Skunks account for nearly half of this year’s confirmed cases, with seven incidents, while raccoons make up five of the total. The county is continuing its efforts to educate the public and prevent further spread.
“We are still receiving reports of potentially rabid animals, and historically this continues up until late November and early December,” said Franklin County Health Director Scott LaVigne. “Take action now to minimize exposure to rabies for you and your pets.”
County health authorities recommend that residents vaccinate their pets against rabies and ensure vaccinations are kept current. Other suggestions include keeping pets indoors or supervised outside, not feeding pets or wildlife outdoors, securing garbage cans, and reporting any wild animals behaving unusually to Animal Services.
Residents who suspect they have come into contact with a potentially infected animal are advised to seek immediate medical attention. All dogs and cats in Franklin County are required by law to have current rabies vaccinations.
For those needing vaccinations for their pets, a vaccine event will be held on October 18, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Franklin County Animal Shelter at 351 T Kemp Road in Louisburg. The cost is $15 per vaccination.
In addition to public health concerns like rabies prevention, recent educational data show that academic readiness among Franklin County high school students remains an ongoing issue. For example, only about 14.9% of senior students who took the science portion of the ACT during the 2022-23 school year were considered college-ready (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/). Junior students showed similar results, with just over 13% meeting college readiness standards in science (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/). Reading and math scores also indicate less than a quarter of students met benchmarks for college preparedness (https://www.dpi.nc.gov/).
Officials encourage residents to stay informed about both public health and education issues affecting the community.
Anyone observing strange behavior in wild animals should contact Franklin County Animal Services at 919-496-3032.
