TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Pingtung County Government said a dead ferret badger found at Fangshan Township’s Neishi Railway Station on Wednesday tested positive for rabies.

It's the first time a wild animal has been found to have rabies in the township. The dead ferret-badger is also the second confirmed case of rabies in the Hengchun Peninsula this year, prompting municipal officials to take action.

In a press release, the county government announced a free rabies vaccination session for dogs and cats on March 28 from 10:30 a.m. to noon and 1:30-3:00 p.m. In addition,14 free vaccination sessions will be held around Neishi Railway Station starting in early April. More information about the vaccinations is available on the website.

Currently, 13 townships in Pingtung County are considered rabies epidemic areas. If the public finds dead carnivorous wild animals such as ferret badgers, masked palm civets, and crab-eating mongooses, they should report them to the Animal Disease Control Center (08-7224109) for testing.

The center said rabies is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can spread to different species, including humans. Furthermore, once symptoms develop, rabies has a mortality rate of 100%.

The public is advised not to have contact with wild animals and to avoid letting pets run free. Also, pet owners are required to take dogs and cats to get rabies vaccinations every year to prevent rabies.

Those who fail to complete rabies vaccination for dogs and cats will be fined NT$30,000-150,000 (US$909-4,545) per the Act on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Animal Diseases.