PROVIDENCE - The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and the Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) have reported that laboratory testing has confirmed that a brown calf that died on July 26 in Tiverton did not have rabies.
The calf had been housed in a pasture adjacent to Gray's Ice Cream. Cause of death for this calf is pending, but rabies infection has been ruled out as a cause of death.
Although test results show that this particular calf did not have rabies, HEALTH officials have not changed the guidance issued for individuals who had physical contact between July 5 and July 21 with a black-and-white calf housed in a pasture adjacent to Gray's. The tissues of that animal were too decomposed to test for rabies infection. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution, officials advise anyone who had physical contact with the black-and-white calf between July 5 and July 21 to contact HEALTH at 222-2577 for evaluation of their potential rabies exposure.
Members of the public should note that the black-and-white calf was removed from direct public contact on July 16, and that only the animal's handlers may have been exposed during the period from July 16 through July 21.
Any individual who had physical contact with the calf prior to July 5 is not at risk for rabies from that contact.
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