Public health officials issued a rabies alert for the Roanoke Valley on Wednesday after the fourth case of the disease in March was confirmed, involving a skunk on Belle Avenue Northeast in Roanoke.

Because of those incidents and because this is Rabies Awareness Week, pets are being vaccinated at a discount price of $8 at 11 veterinary hospitals in the Roanoke area through Saturday.

In addition, on Saturday in Wasena Park in Roanoke, dogs, cats and ferrets can be vaccinated for $5 cash per animal, said Karen Saul, environmental health supervisor of the Roanoke and Alleghany health districts.

Roanoke animal control officers will be on hand to advise people about rabies, and officials from the city treasurer's office will sell dog licenses at the Wasena Park clinic.

"We want the public to be aware it is a health issue and not just an animal issue," Saul said.

"These cases illustrate the continued presence of rabies in the Roanoke area, and the importance of vaccinating animals that are yours, and avoiding animals that aren't," said Dr. Stephanie Harper, who directs the Roanoke and Alleghany health districts.

Anyone who observes wildlife or domestic animals behaving abnormally should contact local animal control, Harper said.

The best-known recent rabies incident in the Roanoke Valley occurred Feb. 2 on Morwanda Street Northwest, when an 85-year-old woman was bitten three times by a cat that proved to be rabid.

In other cases of confirmed rabies listed by the health department:

n A skunk in the 3000 Block of Belle Avenue Northeast in Roanoke was confirmed positive on Tuesday.

n A fox near King Street Northeast in Roanoke also was confirmed positive.

n A skunk in the vicinity of Orlando Court in Roanoke County was confirmed positive. A dog was exposed to the skunk as well.

No human exposures were reported in those recent incidents, health officials said.

Melanie Crovo, president of the Roanoke Valley Veterinary Medicine Association, said the hospitals offering shots for $8 are located in Roanoke, Roanoke County, Salem and Bedford County.

"We are pretty concerned about it," Crovo said. "We are trying to make people aware that indoor pets need to be vaccinated, too, because a rabid animal may rush onto the porch or into the house," she said.

During this week, hospitals participating in Rabies Awareness Week will inoculate pets without requiring a full checkup of the animals, Saul said. Crovo said most of the hospitals want people to call before bringing in their pets.