Environment department warns of increased risk of rabies in raccoons

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The Quebec Environment Department is warning residents in the Eastern Townships and Montérégie to be vigilant and report all wild animals suspected of having rabies because of an outbreak of rabies in raccoons near the Quebec-Vermont border.

The risk of raccoon rabies introduction into Québec has risen significantly after cases were confirmed near the border in March, the department said in a press release. Some of the cases were in an area where no wild animal vaccination campaigns have been conducted since 2020, it said.

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Since March 2022, more than 30 cases of rabies in racoons have been detected in Vermont, between Burlington and the Canada-U.S. border, along Lake Champlain, the press release added.

Rabies is a contagious, fatal disease that can infect all mammals. It can be transmitted from infected animals to humans.

The department is calling on residents in the Haut-Richelieu and Brome-Missisquoi regional municipal counties, particularly border residents, to actively watch out for wild animals with rabies.

The public is being asked to report dead, apparently disoriented, injured or abnormally aggressive or paralyzed raccoons, skunks and foxes by calling 1-877-346-6763 or by completing an online form.

The department says it’s working closely with U.S. authorities, who are working to limit the progression of the outbreak. It is also conducting vaccination campaigns targeting wild animals in the Montérégie and the Eastern Townships. Details of the vaccination program will be announced at a later date, it said.

The environment department also offered safety tips:

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• If you have been bitten or scratched by an animal or have come into contact with its saliva, wash the wound with soap and water for 10 to 15 minutes, even if it appears to be minor. Call Info-Santé 811 immediately for advice on appropriate medical care.
• Never approach an unknown wild or domestic animal, even if it seems harmless.
• Never touch an animal carcass with your bare hands.
• Take steps to avoid attracting wild animals to your property, such as by leaving garbage cans accessible to wildlife or feeding pets outdoors.
• Do not relocate nuisance animals or animals that appear to be orphaned. Relocation can spread diseases such as rabies to other areas.
• See a vet to have your pets vaccinated against rabies or if they have been in contact with a wild animal that may carry the disease.

For more information on raccoon rabies in Quebec, or to fill out the online reporting form: Québec.ca/raccoonrabies

The names of municipalities in the area most at risk of raccoon rabies: Québec.ca/raccoonrabies

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