Pinal County Animal Care and Control and the Pinal County Public Health Services District have issued a rabies advisory after a gray fox tested positive for the disease.

The fox was found in the western Maricopa area of the county and was tested at the Arizona State Public Health Laboratory, according to a release.

Rabies is an infectious disease that affects the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord of animals and humans. It is caused by a virus present in the saliva of infected animals and is transmitted to humans through contact with the live virus, authorities said.

Rabies is fatal to humans once symptoms appear. There is no test to screen for rabies.

“While human exposure to rabid animals is rare, family pets are more often exposed to wild animals, including wild animals that are rabid,” the county release stated.

Veterinarians can vaccinate animals against rabies.

Pinal County officials recommend the following precautions:

• Keep people and pets away from wild animals. Do not pick up, touch, or feed wild or unfamiliar animals, especially sick or wounded ones.
• If you have been bitten or scratched, wash the area with soap and water and go to the nearest emergency room for medical care.
• Do not “rescue” seemingly abandoned young wild animals. Usually, the mother will return. If the mother is dead or has not returned in many hours, call the Arizona Game and Fish Department at 800-352-0700.
• Vaccinate all dogs and cats against rabies. Pets should be kept in a fenced yard.
• Take precautions when camping, hunting or fishing. Avoid sleeping on the open ground without the protection of a closed tent or camper. Keep pets on a leash and do not allow them to wander.
• Do not disturb roosting bats. If you find a bat on the ground, do not touch it. Report the bat and its location to your local animal control officer or health department. Place a box over the bat to contain it. Be careful not to damage the bat in any way since it must be intact for rabies testing.

Pinal County Animal Care and Control has the following reduced-cost vaccination clinics offered throughout the county, with rabies vaccination for $10. For additional information, visit: www.pinal.gov/AnimalCareControl