LISBON — The Columbiana County Health District is reminding residents to be wary of wildlife, especially raccoons, after a pair of recent raccoon bite incidents in the county.

“If outside, don’t feed wildlife or approach them. Watch your children and pets,” district Environmental Director Laura Fauss said.

Fauss updated members of the county Health District Board on the pair of unusual events during their meeting Wednesday.

A resident in the Wellsville area was bitten by a raccoon during July 4 weekend and had to endure rabies shot treatments because the raccoon could be tested.

A dog who had a raccoon exposure was in the East Liverpool area and is OK. The raccoon in that incident tested negative for rabies.

Fauss said with exposure to suspected rabies, which can be a bite or a scratch, see a doctor immediately, noting that rabies is in the county.

“Rabies is deadly if left untreated, ” she said.

A press release the health district issued earlier this year said rabies is still a prevalent viral disease in northeast Ohio and the Mahoning Valley has had confirmed rabies cases in wild animals, including raccoons and bats, yearly since 2020.

“Rabies is a deadly virus that affects the central nervous system in mammals. It is almost always transmitted through the bite of an infected animal. Effective vaccines exist to protect people, pets, and wildlife from rabies, which is fatal if left untreated in almost all cases. It can take months before a person shows any signs of the disease. By the time a person with rabies begins to exhibit symptoms, it is often too late to begin treatment,” the press release said.

The Columbiana County Health District takes a proactive approach regarding rabies, “acting as an animal drop off location for rabies surveillance in partnership with The United States Department of Agriculture, Division of Wildlife Services, which provides the health district with a freezer and weekly pickup services.”

According to the press release, county residents can “drop off specimens including raccoons, groundhogs, bats, and foxes for surveillance purposes only. This surveillance is intended for non-human exposures, such as fresh road kill and nuisance animals. Specimens must be deceased with the skull intact. When necessary, animals should be humanely dispatched. Tissue must be fresh — please do not submit extremely decomposed specimens. All specimens should be double bagged and handled using water-repellent gloves to prevent exposure. During submission, the department will ask for an address or GPS location where the animal was found. Specimens can be submitted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the health district office, 7360 state Route 45, Lisbon.

The health district also accepts raccoons, skunks and bats for testing through the Ohio Department of Health laboratory for human exposure to rabies.

During the meeting, Fauss also noted that through June 30, the wildlife service collected and tested 626 samples. Through six weeks of trapping for a trap, vaccinate and release program in the Youngstown area, 584 animals were vaccinated. The trap, vaccinate and release program will continue through September.

In other business, the board approved a partial carryover of $13,000 to WPCLF expenses. WPCLF stands for Water Pollution Control Loan Fund. Next month, the board will review bids for three bid groups for WPCLF projects for septic repairs or replacements, with six projects divided into three bid groups of two projects each. Bids are due by 4 p.m. Aug. 19.

The next meeting of the health district board will be 4:30 p.m. Aug. 20.

During the public portion at the beginning of the meeting, Hanoverton Mayor Becky Kibler and Councilwoman Melanie Harr asked what could be done about a nuisance house on First Street (state Route 9).

“The house is likely falling in on itself,” Kibler said.

She explained the owner of the home lives in Salineville and doesn’t have the resources to take care of the situation. The person staying in the home is a squatter. The roof is missing on part of the house and there’s no running water. She asked what they do have it condemned.

Fauss said there’s a hearing scheduled with Health Commissioner Dr. Wes Vins regarding the latest nuisance complaint due to standing water. Previously the owner was fined $100 for a complaint regarding the house, with the case reopened this year due to the standing water. As far as structural issues, Fauss said the house is in poor shape but the health district has no jurisdiction for structures, just health-related issues, such as standing water and garbage.

If the owner doesn’t show up for the hearing or nothing’s done to fix the issues, the board can vote to send the case to county Municipal Court for charges.

Kibler said she’s tried to talk to the man who lives there and was ordered off the property.

Vins said certain things fall out of the health district’s scope.

Harr asked “what do we do when the building caves in on him?”

She also said there have been numerous complaints at council meetings regarding this property. Hanoverton does not have zoning.

“This will all be part of the conversation we have next week,” Vins said, regarding the conditions and what options the homeowner has.

Health Services Administrator Amanda Amato reported results of the recent skin cancer clinic, with 31 patients seen Wednesday and 19 of them new. The clinic next month is already full, but another one is set for Sept. 17. Call 330-424-0272 extension 114 to make an appointment.