Nora Mishanec is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media there are signs that the number of cases of rabies may be on the increase in Greene County. Jay Sharkey of End of the Lane Farm in Cornwallville said he shot five raccoons in the past seven weeks. Animal Control Officer Brian Feml, of Cairo, and Lisa Trafton, of Durham, have also reported suspected rabid raccoons in the past month. When Sharkey found the first raccoon he called the Greene County Department of Health, but was told the raccoon would only be tested for rabies if it had been in contact with a person or animal. Sharkey, who has 70 dairy cows, was dissatisfied with the response. “I thought that it was important because of the cows. I wanted it tested for my own knowledge,” he said. Sharkey then drove the dead raccoon to the Department of Health’s Rabies Laboratory in Slingerlands, where it tested positive for the contagious and fatal viral disease. “I have been in contact with Ag and Markets. It seems like the spike is not just here,” Durham Animal Control Officer John Van Tassel said. “It does seem to be getting worse this year.” Missy Runyan, the founder of the Friends of the Feathered and Furry Wildlife Center in Hunter, said southern New York state has seen an increase in rabies and distemper since the end of 2019. The Department of Health will test only raccoons, skunks and bats if they have bitten or scratched a person or an owned animal, Runyan said. The health departments of Greene and Columbia counties have free rabies clinics to vaccinate dogs, cats and ferrets throughout the year. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.