A mountain lion that attacked a 10-year-old boy near the Verde River tested positive for rabies Sunday, the Arizona Department of Health Services reported today.

The cat scratched the child’s back before it was shot and killed by a family member. The incident occurred Saturday on the western edge of Verde River at Sheep Crossing in the Tonto National Forest, in the extreme southeast corner of Yavapai County. The area is a trailhead for a network of trails in the Mazatzal Mountains.

The mountain lion was submitted to the Arizona State Health Laboratory for testing. The boy and several others who may have been exposed to the cat will undergo preventative rabies treatment.

Other persons in the area who may have had direct contact with the mountain lion should contact their local health department or the ADHS Vector-Borne & Zoonotic Disease Section at (602) 364-4562, or visit the ADHS rabies webpage at: www.azdhs.gov/phs/oids/vector/rabies.

Health officials and the Arizona Game and Fish Department said that such encounters are rare but illustrate the importance of staying away from wildlife and vaccinating your pets.

So far this year, 14 animals have tested positive for rabies at the ADHS State Health Laboratory, including two others in the last week: A coatimundi from the Oracle area and a rabid fox from the Clifton area. There were no human exposures in those cases, but three dogs were exposed to the rabid fox.

At least 27 pets have been exposed to rabid animals this year – which emphasizes the need for pet owners to get their pets vaccinated.

“It is imperative for pet owners to immunize their animals against rabies and to ensure that these vaccinations are kept up to date,” said State Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Elisabeth Lawaczeck.
This includes dogs and cats.