Santa Cruz County has reported an increase in rabies cases this February, with one skunk testing positive in Tubac and two skunks as well as a coatimundi involved in incidents in the Elgin area. In one case, a man was bitten by a coatimundi in Elgin. Residents are advised to avoid wildlife showing unusual behavior and to report such sightings to Santa Cruz County Animal Care & Control at 520-375-7860.
Santa Cruz County Animal Care and Control Services recommends vaccinating all pets and livestock against rabies. The disease is often fatal and is transmitted through the saliva of infected animals, typically via bites or when saliva comes into contact with open wounds or mucous membranes.
Signs of rabies in animals include fearfulness, aggression, excessive drooling, difficulty swallowing, staggering, and seizures. The public is encouraged to vaccinate and license their pets, avoid wild animals, and report any bites or wildlife acting strangely.
“If bitten, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water, and seek medical care immediately,” according to Santa Cruz County Animal Care & Control.
Reports should be made by calling Santa Cruz County Animal Control at (520) 375-7860. The office is located at 2150 N. Congress Drive in Nogales, AZ 85621. The animal shelter can be reached at 1368 N. Hohokam Dr.
In other county matters, recent data shows that educational performance remains a concern for local students. During the 2022-23 school year, 74.4% of students in grades 3 through 8 did not pass the mathematics section of the AASA assessment (source). Similarly high failure rates were seen among high schoolers on both mathematics (84%) (source) and English sections (72%) (source) of the ACT exam during that period. For English proficiency among younger students during the same year’s AASA test cycle, 66.4% failed (source).
There have been some improvements: In the most recent academic year (2023-24), 18% of high schoolers passed the mathematics section of the ACT (source), while 23.6% of third through eighth graders passed mathematics on the AASA (source).
