Texas health officials were trying Monday to locate a potentially rabid puppy that was last seen in Bryan, the Texas Department of State Health Services said.

DSHS says the original owners of the male blue heeler puppy gave the dog to an unknown man April 14 in the parking lot of Joe’s Food Market on Highway 21 West in Bryan after he showed an interest in the pup.

The missing puppy is an 8-week-old male with black and grey markings.

All authorities know about the man is that he was black and in his 30s, and that he indicated he was moving to Arkansas or Oklahoma.

One of the puppy's littermates has tested positive for rabies after an encounter with a skunk in March, and the results of tests on two others are still pending.

The missing puppy appeared healthy last week, officials said, but was in contact with its rabid littermate during the infectious period this month.

The man who took the puppy and anyone else who comes in contact with the dog could be at risk of exposure to rabies, officials said.

DSHS is asking anyone with information about the puppy or the owner’s whereabouts to contact the agency at (254) 778-6744.

DSHS says anyone who may have come into contact with the puppy should contact a physician to determine if the exposure warrants a series of rabies-prevention shots.

More Information Online

Information On Rabies From The CDC

Department Of State Health Services Web Site