Lincoln County has now confirmed its ninth rabies case of 2025. The most recent was a raccoon found eating alongside cattle that later tested positive for the virus. Just weeks earlier, another case had already been reported. This growing outbreak is no longer an isolated problem — it is a pattern that puts families, pets, and livestock in danger.

Rabies is one of the deadliest viruses in the world. Once symptoms appear, it is almost always fatal. The only true protection is prevention through widespread vaccinations, public awareness, and rapid response when wildlife shows signs of infection. The discovery of a rabid raccoon at a cattle trough makes it clear how close this danger is to our food supply and to daily life. If the virus spreads into herds or companion animals, the losses will be devastating. Families could lose pets, farmers could lose livestock, and worst of all, lives could be lost.

Lincoln County cannot afford to wait for this situation to worsen. Animal Services has taken steps by offering low-cost vaccination clinics, but the scale of this crisis demands more. Free and accessible vaccination clinics should be expanded. Public education campaigns need to be amplified so residents know how to recognize rabid wildlife and report it. County leaders must also coordinate closely with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to strengthen quarantine protocols and prevent exposure in livestock.

We call on Lincoln County Animal Services, the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners, and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture to act with urgency. Prevention is the only effective defense against rabies, and prevention requires leadership, resources, and swift commitment.

Nine confirmed cases in less than a year is not a warning to be brushed aside. It is a crisis already here. The people, pets, and farms of Lincoln County deserve protection.

Add your name if you agree that county and state leaders must act now to stop the spread of rabies and safeguard our community.