Just over two weeks after the forth confirmed case of rabies was reported in Sampson County comes yet another possible report from a Clinton resident.

According to the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, a woman, who lives in the 1000 block of West Main St., Clinton, reported that on Tuesday evening, Aug. 21, around 5:10 p.m., her son’s dog killed an animal. The animal is believed to be a nutria, also known as a river rat, large, web-footed rodents said to be more agile in water than on land.

The dog, who was not injured in the incident, did not have its rabies shot up-to-date and the nutria was sent to the state lab in Raleigh to be tested.

Sampson County Animal Control officials are waiting for the results, which should be back early next week.

No other injuries were reported.

On Thursday, Aug. 9, a Turkey woman heard animals fighting outside of her home, located in the 800 block of New Hope Church Road. What she found was a raccoon attacking her kitten. The woman, who is employed at a local animal hospital, had her husband shoot and kill the raccoon. Since she knew the proper procedure in such an attack, the woman put on gloves and placed the raccoon in a cooler.

Animal Control officials came out the next morning and sent the raccoon to Raleigh to test for rabies. The kitten was forced to be quarantined until test results returned.

The test came back positive and the kitten had to be put down.

To reach Doug Clark call 910-592-8137 ext. 123 or email to sisports@heartlandpublications.com.