A raccoon in Mint Hill tested positive for rabies, marking this year’s first case in Mecklenburg County.
MINT HILL, N.C. — A raccoon in the Mint Hill area of Mecklenburg County has tested positive for rabies, marking the first confirmed case in the county this year, animal control officials announced Wednesday.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control said residents on or near Mintbrook Drive in the 28227 zip code area would receive a rabies alert notification Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. The infected raccoon was found in that neighborhood.
Officials reported no human exposures related to the case, though one domestic pet was exposed to the rabid animal. The Mecklenburg County Health Department is coordinating the response to the incident.
Residents with questions about potential human exposures can contact (980) 314-9198.
In 2024, officials confirmed 14 cases of rabies, including 10 raccoons, one cow, one bat, one cat and one fox. The county has averaged 14-21 cases annually over the past five years, with raccoons representing the majority of positive cases.
The 28227 zip code, which includes parts of Mint Hill, has been a recurring location for rabies cases. The area recorded positive cases in 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020.
Animal Care & Control emphasized the importance of keeping pet vaccinations current. North Carolina law requires all owned dogs, cats and ferrets to be vaccinated against rabies by four months of age.
The agency offers free rabies vaccination clinics for Mecklenburg County residents on the second Saturday of every month at the Charlotte Vehicle Operations Center on Beam Road. The clinics run from 8 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., with gates closing at 10:45 a.m.
Pet owners must bring a valid driver’s license or government-issued ID to receive the free one-year rabies vaccine.
