Rabid Skunks Confirmed in Pickens County; One Person and One Horse Exposed

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Published March 26th, 2026

Detected March 27th, 2026

Summary

The South Carolina Department of Public Health confirmed two skunks tested positive for rabies in Pickens County, leading to exposure for one person and one horse. The notice reminds residents of rabies vaccination requirements for pets and livestock.

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What changed

The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) issued a notice confirming two separate incidents of rabid skunks in Pickens County, South Carolina. One skunk exposed a horse, which will be quarantined per the South Carolina Rabies Control Act. Another skunk exposed one person, who has been referred to healthcare. The DPH laboratory confirmed rabies in both animals on March 24 and March 25, 2026, respectively.

This notice serves as a public health alert and a reminder of existing rabies control laws. It emphasizes the mandatory rabies vaccination for dogs, cats, and ferrets, and recommends vaccination for livestock, particularly cattle and horses. Residents who believe they or their pets may have been exposed are instructed to contact the DPH Upstate Greenville-Spartanburg office. The agency also highlights that these are the first rabies cases in Pickens County for 2026, with 20 cases reported statewide so far this year.

What to do next

Contact DPH if exposure to rabid animals is suspected.
Ensure pets (dogs, cats, ferrets) are up-to-date on rabies vaccinations.
Consider rabies vaccination for livestock, especially cattle and horses.

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Rabid Skunks Confirmed in Pickens County; One Person and One Horse Exposed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 26, 2026

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed that two skunks in separate incidents have tested positive for rabies.

A skunk found near Moorefield Memorial Hwy and Belle Shoals Road in Pickens, S.C., has tested positive for rabies. No people are known to have been exposed at this time. One horse was exposed and will be quarantined as required in the South Carolina Rabies Control Act. The skunk was submitted to DPH's laboratory for testing March 23, 2026, and was confirmed to have rabies March 24, 2026.
A skunk found near found near Davis Road and Gilstrap Drive in Liberty, S.C. has tested positive for rabies. One person was exposed and has been referred to their health care provider. The skunk was submitted to DPH’s laboratory for testing March 24, 2026, and was confirmed to have rabies March 25, 2026. If you believe you, your family members, or your pets have come in contact with either skunk or another animal that potentially has rabies, please call DPH's Upstate Greenville-Spartanburg office at (864) 372-3270 during normal business hours (8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday) or after hours and on holidays at (888) 847-0902 (Select Option 2).

South Carolina law requires all dogs, cats, and ferrets be vaccinated against rabies and revaccinated at a frequency to provide continuous protection of the pet from rabies using a vaccine approved by DPH and licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Livestock are susceptible to rabies and all livestock with USDA-approved rabies vaccinations should be vaccinated. Cattle and horses, however, are the most frequently reported infected livestock species. Species for which licensed vaccines are not available (goat and swine), that have frequent contact with humans, or are considered valuable, should also be vaccinated.

“Keeping your pets and livestock current on their rabies vaccination is a responsibility that comes with owning an animal. It is one of the easiest and most effective ways you can protect yourself, your family, your pets, and your livestock from this fatal disease. That is an investment worth making to provide yourself some peace of mind,” said Terri McCollister, DPH’s Rabies Program manager.

It is important to keep pets up to date on their rabies vaccination, as this is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect against the disease. These skunks are the first and second animals in Pickens County to test positive for rabies in 2026. There have been 20 cases of rabid animals statewide this year. Since 2002, South Carolina has averaged approximately 138 positive cases a year. In 2025, four of the 101 confirmed rabies cases in South Carolina were in Pickens County.

Contact information for local Public Health offices is available at dph.sc.gov/RabiesContacts. For more information on rabies, visit dph.sc.gov/rabies or cdc.gov/rabies.