BATH — State officials will be present at an informational meeting about rabies at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, at City Hall. Representatives from Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry will provide information and answer questions about rabies.

According to a 2017 report cited by the CDC, the state of Maine had 98 rabies cases that year, only one of which was from a domestic animal. The Maine Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention reports that Sagadahoc County has experienced 20 rabies cases this year, 15 of which were in Bath, compared to seven cases in neighboring Cumberland County.

The city recommends that residents protect both humans and pets by not feeding stray or wild animals, vaccinating pets, teaching children not to approach an unfamiliar animal and keeping all trash and compost in a secure container.