Gaston County Police Animal Care and Enforcement received a call at about 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 30 regarding a skunk displaying strange behavior.

The caller's dog had possibly been exposed to the skunk in the 1000 block of Mary’s Grove Road, Cherryville.

Animal Care and Enforcement specialists investigated the incident and impounded the skunk.

The skunk was sent to the N.C. Laboratory of Public Health in Raleigh the next day. The official laboratory results were received Nov. 3, at approximately 11:15 a.m., indicating that the skunk tested positive for rabies.

Enforcement specialists completed a neighborhood canvass in the area of Mary’s Grove Road to notify the community of the positive rabies results and verify rabies vaccinations for family pets.

The dog had an expired rabies vaccinati

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