CHENANGO COUNTY — World Rabies Day is celebrated each September on the 28th. This year’s theme, "Rabies: One Health, Zero Deaths," will highlight the connection of the environment with both people and animals.

The world has the vaccines, medicines, tools, and technologies to break the cycle of one of the oldest diseases. It is critical to work with stakeholders, partners, and people at community, local, national, and global levels to rebuild and strengthen health systems and rabies control programs.

By collaborating and joining forces, engaging communities and committing to pet vaccination, rabies can be eliminated.

Rabies top 10 things to know:

Take care of your pets. Give them plenty of water, feed them properly, exercise them and protect them from illnesses by getting them vaccinated against rabies and other diseases.

Don’t touch wild animals, ever. If your pet tangles with a wild animal, use gloves to clean your pet and do not touch them with your bare hands.

Only pet your own pet. Ask permission from other pet owners before you touch their pet. Encourage children to tell an adult immediately if they are bitten by an animal.

Seal openings in your house so that bats cannot get in. If you need help with this, call a professional. Bats don’t belong in the house!

If you wake up and a bat is in the house, don't throw it out or destroy it. Capture it properly and have it tested.

Bat bites or scratches are not necessarily felt or are visible. Waking up with a bat in the house or having unattended children in the home are reasons to be concerned about possible exposure. Capture the bat and seek medical attention.

If you are exposed to an animal, wake up with a bat in the house, are bitten, scratched, or in contact with saliva, wash wounds with soap and water and seek medical attention.

Keep family pets indoors at night. Don’t leave them outside unattended or let them roam free. Keep pet foods indoors.

Limit or do not use pet doors. Wild animals don’t know they aren’t supposed to come into your house.

Call the Chenango County Department of Environmental Health at 607-337-1673 if you have captured an animal or if you think you have been exposed.

-Information provided by the Chenango County Health Department