BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Exotic Pets In your opinion do skunks carry rabies?

Who is in more danger of contracting rabies a cow or a dog?
Who is in more danger of contracting rabies a cat or a domestic skunk?

Do all skunks carry rabies? Answer the questions - give it a shot

Answers are here Striped Skunk

Skunks DO NOT carry Rabies. They CONTRACT Rabies just like any other mammal can. No animal "carries" Rabies - it makes it sound like they have a purse with little packets of Rabies Virus in it and pass it out to others like candy.
and, NO - all skunks do not have Rabies - only those bitten or have had a body fluid, like siliva from a rabid animal, get into a wound or body opening.
NO ANIMAL IS A "CARRIER" OF RABIES. Any animal that contracts Rabies will get sick and die from it.
I run a widlife Rehab. Center (for over 25 years) and get really upset when someone uses a word like "carry" when it has no relation to the subject matter.

My Striped Skunk article clearly states that skunks do not CARRY rabies.
Striped Skunk

I was certainly hoping to ruffle someone�s feathers. Thank you for the comment. I have had animal control officers and veterinarians tell me that skunks carry rabies. It makes me so mad because they really believe it. We truly got to find a way to get pharmaceutical companies to get testing and trials done to get a rabies vaccination on the market. If our domestic skunks, could be vaccinated with Imrab 3, a proven vaccination that works with both skunks and raccoons. Canada is using it in the field on wild animals. I don�t believe they have had trials or testing for domestic skunks. �Aspen Skunk Rabies Research (ASRR) is working toward: 1.) Obtain U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approval for a rabies vaccine for skunks, 2.) Establish a recognized quarantine period for skunks, similar to that of other domestic species, such as dogs, cats, ferrets, etc. in the event of a bite to a human, 3.) Change state laws to recognize vaccine and quarantine period for skunks.�

The Aspen Skunk Rabies Research Inc.

Even though are domestic skunks are free from rabies, have never been outside of the house, even if they are in a legal state, if a skunk bites someone, they are confiscated and their heads come off for testing. Some skunks will play bite as a puppy would, or a cat. But, that cat or dog will go through a quarantine period and returned to the owners; unless, of course, it was a vicious attack. You have got to go to this website and read the story of Erica and her beloved skunk Aspen; it will break your heart. You will also find rabies facts, myths, and a lot of other valuable information.

Thank you again for your response