Recorded cases of raccoon rabies south of the US border have increased and residents of Estrie and Montérégie are being urged to report any wildlife that may be affected to prevent the spread.
This was recommended by the Department for Environment, Fighting Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks in a press release on Thursday.
The aim is therefore to reduce the risk of the disease being introduced into Quebec, while the American authorities have taken extensive measures to limit the extent of the epidemic outbreak and these seem to be sufficient, as we can read in the press release.
Here are the 18 municipalities invited to actively participate in the monitoring:
• Bedford
• Clarenceville
• Dunham
• Freightsburg
• Henryville
• Glue
• Our Lady of Stanbridge
• Noian
• PikeRiver
• St Armand
• Saint Bernard de Lacolle
• Saint Ignace de Stanbridge
• Saint-Paul-de-l’Île-aux-Noix
• San Sebastian
• Valentine’s Day
• Stanbridge East
• Stan Bridge Station
• Venice-in-Quebec.
Rabies is a contagious and deadly disease that affects all mammals. It can therefore be transmitted to humans from an infected animal.
The public is encouraged to report dead raccoons, skunks, and foxes that appear disoriented, injured, unusually aggressive, or paralyzed by calling 1.877.346-6763 or filling out the online form. Never touch the carcass of a wild animal with your bare hands.
Safe behaviors to adopt:
• If you’ve been bitten, scratched, or come into contact with an animal’s saliva, clean the wound with soap and water for 10 minutes, even if it looks insignificant. Communicate quickly with Info-Santé 811 to receive appropriate medical follow-up.
• Never approach an unfamiliar animal, whether wild or domestic, even if it looks harmless.
• Take steps to prevent wild animals from luring onto your property (examples: keep your outdoor garbage cans out of the reach of animals and avoid feeding pets outdoors).
• Avoid moving unwanted animals as they could spread diseases such as rabies to other areas.
• Consult a veterinarian to get your pet vaccinated against rabies or if it has been in contact with a wild animal that can transmit rabies.