Copperas Cove warns residents after rabid raccoon found in city

Copperas Cove police warned pet owners near Skyline Drive to treat any contact with a raccoon, or with a pet that may have crossed paths with it, as urgent after an injured raccoon in the 500 block of Skyline tested positive for rabies.

A Copperas Cove Animal Control officer responded to the call around 6:30 p.m. Monday and found the raccoon showing signs of illness. Police said the animal was impounded and then humanely euthanized so it could be tested. On Thursday, the Animal Control office received notice from the Texas Department of Health that the raccoon was rabies-positive, turning what began as a wildlife call into a direct public-health warning for Copperas Cove and nearby Coryell County neighborhoods.

Anyone who touched the raccoon, or believes a dog, cat, or other pet may have been exposed, was told to contact Copperas Cove Animal Control at (254) 547-5584 right away. After 5 p.m., residents needing help were directed to the Copperas Cove Police Department’s emergency number, (254) 547-8222. Officials also urged people to speak with a doctor or veterinarian if they think there may have been exposure, because rabies can spread through a bite, a scratch, or saliva contact with mucous membranes.

The state health department says rabies almost universally results in death if postexposure prophylaxis is not prescribed and administered urgently. In Texas, bats, skunks, foxes, raccoons and coyotes are considered high-risk rabies animals, and residents were reminded to stay away from wild animals, keep pets away from them, secure garbage cans, avoid leaving pet food outside and call Animal Control if an animal is acting strangely.

The warning comes with statewide context that makes the Skyline case harder to dismiss. Texas recorded 412 rabies-positive animal specimens in 2024 out of 10,092 tested, up 20% from 350 in 2023. The disease was confirmed in 95 of Texas’ 254 counties that year, with the highest monthly total, 52 cases, in both April and October. Copperas Cove has faced this threat before, including a September 2024 rabies alert on Marilyn Drive after a feral kitten fought with a skunk and tested positive while the skunk escaped.