Metro

Rabies cases on Staten Island soar 800 percent

Rabies cases on Staten Island spiked an alarming 800 percent last year — and officials fear the outbreak will only get worse without aggressive action from the city Department of Health.

“If they can’t write a ticket for it, the city DOH won’t do anything about it,” said Staten Island Assemblyman Joe Borelli.

To stem more cases, DOH has sent alerts to veterinarians and offered free vaccinations to pet owners.