Rabies Awareness Month provides a reminder to avoid contact with wildlife

All animal bites, scratches must be reported to Health Department

Whitby, Ontario – May is Rabies Awareness Month, and Durham Region Health Department is reminding area residents to avoid contact with wildlife, as rabies is commonly associated with bats, foxes, skunks and raccoons. Infected animals can transmit the rabies virus to humans through bites, scratches, or saliva. Although rabies is a preventable disease, it is almost always fatal for humans and most animals once infection occurs. In 2024, six bats in Durham Region tested positive for rabies.

Educators, including those in schools and child care centres, play an important role in teaching children about wildlife safety. Children should be reminded to avoid contact with wild animals and to quickly tell an adult if they come across a sick or injured animal. If such an animal is found on school property, it should be safely confined, and direct contact should be avoided. The Health Department should also be notified to determine potential human exposure.

Additionally, when visiting outdoor spaces like conservation areas or local parks, everyone should follow all rules against feeding wildlife to help prevent being bitten or scratched.

The following precautions are recommended to help avoid possible exposure to rabies from wild animals:

• Avoid contact with all wild animals, especially bats, foxes, skunks and raccoons.
• Keep children away from wild animals.
• Keep pets away from wild animals; pets should be kept indoors at night or should be supervised when outside.
• Avoid contact with dead or sick wildlife and do not attempt to care for these animals. Contact your local animal service and ask for assistance.
• If a potential exposure to humans occurs, contact the Health Department for assessment.

Dogs and cats can also transmit the rabies virus to humans if pets become infected. To safeguard both pets and people, it is important for animal owners to take preventative measures to protect their animals from rabies.

“A key component of rabies prevention and control is responsible pet ownership, which includes maintaining up-to-date immunization against rabies for all dogs and cats over three-months old. This is required under Ontario Regulation 567/90 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act,” said Brenda Kwan, Manager, Health Protection with the Health Department. “Pet owners can protect their families and pets by ensuring all dogs and cats receive annual vaccination against rabies.”

Responsible pet ownership also includes:

• Keeping vaccinations up-to-date for all dogs, cats and ferrets.
• Keeping your pets under direct supervision and avoiding contact with wild animals.
• Calling your local animal control agency for instructions on having sick wildlife removed from your neighbourhood.
• Having your pets spayed or neutered to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or regularly vaccinated.
• Reporting all animal-to-human bites and scratches to the Health Department.

Residents are encouraged to visit durham.ca/Rabies regularly for updated low-cost rabies vaccination clinic dates throughout the year.

To report bites or scratches to the Health Department call 905-668-2020 or 1-800-841-2729, or use the online form. For more information about rabies, please visit durham.ca/Rabies or call Durham Health Connection Line at 905- 668-2020 or 1-800-841-2729.