RABIES, PET STORE DOG - USA (ARIZONA) ************************************************ A ProMED-mail post http://www.promedmail.org ProMED-mail, a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases http://www.isid.org NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 4, 2002 Contact: Michael Murphy, ADHS Public Information: (602) 542-1001 pager: 591-5581 Dr. Mira Leslie, ADHS Public Health Veterinarian: (602) 230-5917 Rabid Dog Identified At Tucson Area Pet Store Officials at the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and Pima County Health Department are attempting to identify anyone who had contact with a rabid dog while visiting a Petsmart Store in Tucson. The dog was part of an adoption fair held at the Petsmart store at 4740 E. Grant Road in Tucson on March 22 and March24, 2002. The dog tested positive for rabies at the Arizona State Health Laboratory. The dog was a 3 to 4 month old Australian Shepherd mix, predominately white in color with gray and brown markings, and blue eyes. For more information or to view a picture of the dog - visit the Pima County Health Department's website http://pimahealth.org/rabiesalert.htm Rabies remains an invariably fatal disease. However, there are effective ways to prevent rabies from developing in people who have been exposed. Your physician or the health department can assist, but it needs to be done immediately. We urge anyone who visited the Petsmart store at Grant and Swan in Tucson on either Friday, March 22nd, OR Sunday, March 24th, AND had direct contact with the dog in question, to contact the health department. If you live in Pima County call (520) 740-8959, and if you live anywhere else call the Arizona Department of Health Services at (602) 364-4500 (Maricopa County) or 1-800 314-9243 (outside Maricopa County) If you were not at this Petsmart, or were at the Petsmart but had no direct contact of any kind with the dog, then you are at no risk for rabies from this dog. Mira Leslie <[log in to unmask]> -- cobalt's rule: the smallest gecko will _always_ grab the biggest cricket. [Posted in FML issue 3746]