Quebec, Canada - Rabies in animals 2025-2026

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Fight against raccoon rabies in Quebec - A case of raccoon rabies confirmed in Estrie: the Ministry urges the population to be extra careful

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Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks Jan 13, 2025, 1:00 PM ET

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QUEBEC CITY , Jan. 13, 2025 /CNW/ - The Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs is advising the public that a raccoon infected with the rabies virus was found dead in Saint-Armand, in the Eastern Townships, on December 17. Thanks to the vigilance of citizens who reported it to the authorities and the rapid intervention of wildlife specialists from the Ministère, the animal was recovered the same day for analysis. This is the first case of raccoon rabies in Quebec since 2015.

The animal was recovered approximately 1.4 kilometres from where a case was discovered in early December near the Quebec border, in the town of Highgate , Vermont . It should be recalled that over the past year, several cases of raccoon rabies have been detected in northern Vermont , in the United States. Tests conducted on the raccoon in January 2025 by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency laboratory confirmed that the raccoon variant is indeed the cause.

The evolution of the situation is being closely monitored by the Government of Quebec, which is continuing its close collaboration with the American authorities to optimize control and surveillance efforts on both sides of the border. Vaccination interventions for raccoons, skunks and foxes are planned for 2025. An analysis is underway to determine the best intervention strategy, which will be adapted to the situation.

Recommendations to follow to reduce risks to humans and domestic animals

Here are the instructions to follow to limit the risks of transmission of the disease to humans:

• If you have been bitten or scratched by an animal or have been in contact with its saliva, clean the wound (even if it appears minor) with soap and water for 10 to 15 minutes, then quickly contact Info-Santé 811 to obtain appropriate medical follow-up.
• Never approach an unfamiliar animal, even if it looks harmless and is apparently healthy, because it could bite you and transmit rabies. An animal can carry the disease and develop symptoms several days or weeks after being infected.

If you own a pet, consult a veterinarian for:

• have your dogs or cats vaccinated against rabies and keep their vaccinations up to date;
• determine whether it is appropriate to vaccinate your other outdoor animals (e.g. livestock);
• determine the risk of rabies transmission if your pet has been in contact with a wild animal or if it itself shows suspicious signs of rabies.

Important : Avoid moving unwanted or orphaned animals, as this could spread rabies to areas that are rabies-free. Currently, the risk of moving rabies in this way is very high, as apparently healthy animals could still be carriers of the disease.

Importance of reporting suspect animals to aid in the detection of rabies cases

Due to the presence of an epidemic outbreak of raccoon rabies in northern Vermont that is now extending to Quebec, the Ministry is asking the population of the municipality of Saint-Armand and neighboring municipalities in the MRCs of Haut-Richelieu and Brome-Missisquoi, particularly those in communities along the border, to actively participate in the enhanced surveillance. People living in or visiting one of the following 17 municipalities are urged to exercise extra caution and vigilance: Bedford , Dunham , Frelighsburg , Notre-Dame-de-Stanbridge , Pike River, Saint-Armand , Sainte-Sabine , Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge , Stanbridge East , Stanbridge Station , Clarenceville , Henryville , Noyan , Saint-Alexandre , Sainte-Anne-de-Sabrevois , Saint-Sébastien and Venise -en-Québec.

Rapid detection of rabies cases allows the Ministry to carry out more effective control interventions that are better adapted to the epidemiological situation of rabies in wild animals. The public is therefore invited to report, without delay, raccoons, skunks and foxes that are dead or that appear disoriented, injured, abnormally aggressive or paralyzed by calling 1 877 346-6763 or by completing the online form .

Highlights:

• Rabies is a contagious and fatal disease that can affect all mammals, which means that it can be transmitted from an infected animal to humans. In addition to raccoon rabies, other variants of rabies are circulating in Quebec, particularly in bats and foxes.
• Caution is therefore required at all times and with all species of mammals. Among the behaviors to adopt to avoid the risks of transmitting the disease, remember that you should never touch the carcass of a wild animal with your bare hands. It is also essential not to attract wild animals near your home. For example, store outdoor trash cans out of reach and avoid feeding pets outside.
• Since 2006, following the detection of the first case of the disease in the territory, Quebec has had a Raccoon Rabies Control Plan. The interventions carried out under this plan are based on the recommendations of a committee of experts in this field and are ratified by an interministerial committee composed of members of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks.
• For many years, Quebec has been working with American states and neighbouring provinces to eliminate raccoon rabies in northeastern North America.

https://www.newswire.ca/fr/news-rele...881684249.html

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7 raccoons infected with rabies have been found in Estrie since the beginning of the year

Alexandra Duchaine
Posted yesterday at 5:14 PM CDT

Seven raccoons infected with rabies have been found in the Eastern Townships since the beginning of the year. The disease, absent from the region for 10 years, returned in December, when the first case was recorded .

It's actually starting to be worrying, in the sense that it's a lot of cases in a short period of time , agrees Marianne Gagnier, biologist and provincial rabies coordinator for the Ministry of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks.

The raccoons were almost all found dead or alive by residents of the Brome-Missisquoi area, in Saint-Armand and Pike-River, between January 19 and March 12.

For Marianne Gagnier, what is reassuring is that the animals were all detected in the same area. The source of infection is still relatively localized .

The scientist therefore asks the population not to move raccoons, skunks or foxes, even if they are disturbing.

"What worries us right now is that sometimes people move animals because they are pests, orphans, or for various reasons, but that can be a really significant source of rabies movement over quite large distances."

"The situation in the Saint-Armand area and surrounding areas is very critical."
- A quote from Marianne Gagnier, biologist and provincial rabies coordinator for the Ministry of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks

Especially since a seemingly healthy animal can become infected with rabies and transmit it to a human. The disease can sometimes take weeks or even months to manifest in animals.

In humans, it can lead to death if symptoms are not treated promptly. In the event of a bite, citizens should wash the wound with soap and water and promptly call Info-Santé (811).

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/2150176/rage-raton-maladie-mort-raccoon

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Rabies in animals

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https://www.quebec.ca/en/agriculture-environment-and-natural-resources/animal-health/animal-diseases/list-animal-diseases/rabies-in-animals

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Rabies in animals

Animal relocation prohibited in Estrie and Montérégie

From June 18 to August 17, 2025, it is prohibited to move or relocate live raccoons, striped skunks, gray and red foxes, as well as coyotes and their hybrids, within the territory of municipalities (PDF 179 Kb) located around known racoon rabies cases.

If you have been bitten or scratched by an animal or in contact with its saliva, consult the Treatment section of rabies in humans.

If you suspect that a wild animal has rabies, stay away and report it at 1-877-346-6763 or fill the online form . The animal could be collected for analysis.

If you suspect that your domestic animal has rabies, consult your veterinarian immediately.
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Rabies cases in animals

In Québec, rabies is detected in wild or domestic animals every year. These cases are detected after testing of animals:

• who have had contact with a human or a domestic animal;
• who have suspicious signs of rabies;
• who have been recovered under targeted rabies surveillance or wildlife health programs.

The confirmed cases represent part of the animals infected. In the natural environment, wild animals may have been infected without detection of their infection.

The absence of detected rabies cases in a region or sector does not mean the virus is absent from this territory. The risk of finding a wild or domestic animal infected with the rabies virus is present throughout Québec.

The table presents the rabies cases confirmed in the laboratory per year.

2025

Since January 1, 2025, 32 cases of raccoon rabies have been confirmed.Additionally, one case was confirmed in December 2024.





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https://www.quebec.ca/en/agriculture-environment-and-natural-resources/animal-health/animal-diseases/list-animal-diseases/rabies-in-animals#c231771

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Wild animal vaccination operation in Estrie and Montérégie: the Ministry takes action to fight raccoon rabies in Quebec

August 4, 2025, 10:00 a.m.
Updated: August 5, 2025, 6:30 p.m.
Published by: Environment, Fight against climate change, Wildlife and Parks


QUEBEC , August 4, 2025 /CNW/ - The Ministry of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks is advising the population of Estrie and Montérégie that it will be distributing vaccine baits from August 6 to September 20, 2025. This vaccination operation aims to continue efforts to immunize raccoons, skunks and foxes. The goal is to slow the spread of raccoon rabies after the discovery of several cases of the disease in raccoons in Quebec since December 2024.

During this period, Ministry teams will cover an area of 7,016 km² to spread approximately 635,000 vaccine baits in wooded areas, on river banks, along agricultural fields and abandoned buildings, and near garbage bins. Vaccine bait distribution will be carried out in three ways: by plane (from August 6 to 9), by hand (starting August 9), and by helicopter (starting September 8). In total, 116 municipalities will be affected by the distribution of vaccine baits this summer, including 48 in the Eastern Townships and 68 in the Montérégie region.

Vaccine bait looks like a greenish ketchup packet or a khaki-green ravioli, and it gives off a sweet odor that is attractive to the target species. Because of its color, it blends in with the environment and is difficult for humans to spot. Its casing is designed to withstand the elements and the impact of aerial drop. To find out what to do if you find vaccine bait, visit Québec.ca under the heading If you find vaccine bait .

Addition of 19 municipalities to the enhanced surveillance zone in Montérégie

Since July 2025, 19 municipalities in Montérégie have been added to the enhanced raccoon rabies surveillance zone: Acton Vale , Belœil, Béthanie, La Présentation, McMasterville , Mont-Saint-Hilaire , Roxton, Roxton Falls , Otterburn Park , Sainte-Julie , Sainte-Madeleine , Sainte-Marie-Madeleine , Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu , Saint-Dominique , Saint-Hyacinthe , Saint-Liboire , Saint-Mathieu -de-Belœil, Saint-Valérien-de-Milton and Upton . Due to the cases of rabies recently detected in Quebec, this addition is required to be able to monitor the evolution of the territory affected by raccoon rabies in Quebec.

To contribute to efforts to combat raccoon rabies in Quebec, the public is invited to report raccoons, skunks and foxes that are dead or appear disoriented, injured, abnormally aggressive or paralyzed by calling 1 877 346-6763 or by filling out theonline form.

Additional vaccination efforts in the Stanstead area

The risk of raccoon rabies being introduced from Vermont is currently very high for the Town of Stanstead and surrounding areas. Cases of rabies were discovered in early July 2025 in the Town of Derby, Vermont , less than 10 kilometers from the Canada-U.S. border. People in this area are urged to be vigilant and report any wild animals suspected of carrying rabies.

Additional vaccination operations will take place in this area of the Eastern Townships starting August 5. This operation will take place over an area of approximately 100 km² covering the municipalities of Barnstorn-Ouest, Odgen, Stanstead and Stanstead-Est . The work will be carried out by wildlife technicians and animal health professionals, who will capture raccoons and skunks using cages to vaccinate them and release them on site. The cages used meet international trapping standards and will be checked daily. If a domestic animal or a non-target species is accidentally captured, it will be immediately released. The objective is to immunize as many wild animals as possible to prevent a second outbreak of raccoon rabies in Quebec.

To ensure the success of the operation and to protect themselves against raccoon rabies, citizens of the affected municipalities are invited to follow the following recommendations:

• Keep your pets indoors or under supervision to prevent them from being captured in cages. If this happens, they will be released by Ministry teams.
• Do not approach cages and never attempt to free a captured animal.
• If you have any questions about this transaction, call 1-877-346-6763.

Rabies can be prevented by adopting safe behaviors

• If you have been bitten or scratched by an animal or have been in contact with its saliva, clean the wound (even if it appears minor) with soap and water for 10 to 15 minutes, then promptly contact Info-Santé 811 to obtain appropriate medical follow-up. If the animal is a domestic animal, note the owner's contact information to assess the risk of the animal carrying rabies.
• Consult a veterinarian to have your pets vaccinated against rabies and keep their vaccinations up to date, as well as to determine the risk if they have been in contact with a wild animal or if they show suspicious signs of rabies.
• Follow all instructions to prevent rabies and protect yourself.

Highlights:

• Rabies is a contagious and fatal disease that can affect all mammals, meaning it can be transmitted from an infected animal to humans.
• Currently, it is prohibited to move or relocate raccoons, striped skunks, gray and red foxes, as well as coyotes and their hybrids, when they are alive, within the territory of municipalities located around known cases of raccoon rabies.
• An initial vaccination campaign was carried out from April 14 to May 6, 2025, in the Eastern Townships and Montérégie. Ministry teams covered nearly 1,100 km2 ^to spread approximately 75,000 vaccination baits across 27 municipalities.
• Since 2006, following the detection of the first case of the disease in the territory, Quebec has had a Raccoon Rabies Control Plan. The interventions carried out under this plan are based on the recommendations of a committee of experts and are ratified by an interministerial committee composed of members of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Ministry of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks.

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https://www.quebec.ca/nouvelles/actualites/details/operation-de-vaccination-des-animaux-sauvages-en-estrie-et-en-monteregie-le-ministere-en-action-pour-lutter-contre-la-rage-du-raton-laveur-au-quebec-64436

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https://www.quebec.ca/en/agriculture-environment-and-natural-resources/animal-health/animal-diseases/list-animal-diseases/rabies-in-animals

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Increase in raccoon rabies cases: a second outbreak around Lake Memphremagog, including one case in Bromont, worries the Ministry of the Environment

In addition to 635,000 doses of vaccine, 600 animals were captured, vaccinated and then released to stop the spread of rabies.

Mathieu-Robert Sauvé
Tuesday, September 2, 2025 7:00 PM
UPDATE Tuesday, September 2, 2025 7:00 PM

Raccoon rabies continues to spread in southern Quebec, where authorities have vaccinated several hundred animals one by one in an effort to stop a second outbreak of infection around Lake Memphremagog.

"This worries us because it is not a contamination originating from animals in Quebec, but rather from northern Vermont, which would constitute a second source of infection," says biologist Marianne Gagnier, provincial coordinator of raccoon rabies management.

In addition to the Saint-Armand region, considered the epicenter of raccoon rabies since last year, there is also the Stanstead region, about 100 kilometers to the east. This outbreak has led wildlife officers to capture, vaccinate, and release more than 600 animals (raccoons and skunks) in the region.

"We want to create a vaccine barrier to prevent this new outbreak from the south," explains Ms. Gagnier .

Worst outbreak in 15 years

Since December 2024, no fewer than 52 animals have been diagnosed with raccoon rabies in Quebec, a 15-year high. One of the recent cases was reported in the yard of a Bromont resident on August 11, in the Eastern Townships. This case, a first for this municipality, was confirmed last week.

"We're keeping our fingers crossed that this is an isolated case," said Gagnier , who pointed out that it is strictly forbidden to transport animals from one place to another due to a ministerial decree dated last June.

650,000 doses

Since early spring 2025, Ms. Gagnier's team has increased vaccination campaigns, first targeting females about to give birth, and then targeting young animals on the move. Some 635,000 doses of vaccine have been distributed in Montérégie and Estrie, including the Bromont region. More than 370,000 doses have been delivered by air. Other field and helicopter campaigns are also planned.

The biologist says the summer of 2025 is proving more active than expected, but the situation remains under control. "I think we'll need more than one season to push back raccoon rabies, but I'm confident we'll succeed, as we've seen in the past," she says.

So far, no humans have been infected with the deadly virus, and no domestic animals have been infected.

https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2025/09/02/augmentation-des-cas-de-rage-du-raton-laveur--un-second-foyer-autour-du-lac-memphremagog-dont-un-cas-a-bromont-inquiete-le-ministere-de-lenvironnement

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Estrie and Montérégie

Raccoon rabies epidemic grows

Raccoon rabies cases have doubled since the beginning of summer in Estrie and Montérégie, and the epidemic has recently spread to the area around Lake Memphremagog, Quebec warns.

Posted at 4:58 p.m.Share
Jean-Thomas Léveillé
La Presse

Sixty-seven cases have been detected in Quebec since December, the Ministry of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP) said in a press release published Tuesday.

The previous report, in June , indicated 32 cases, all in the Lake Champlain Valley.

The epidemic has also spread to a new sector, with the discovery of five cases in the municipality of Stanstead and its surrounding areas in August.

"The Stanstead cases are not directly linked to [those in the Lake Champlain Valley]," biologist Marianne Gagnier, provincial coordinator of rabies surveillance and control at the MELCCFP, explained to La Presse .

"It's an incursion south of Lake Memphremagog" of raccoons from Vermont, she said, noting that it was Vermont authorities who warned those in Quebec that cases of raccoon rabies had quickly moved closer to the border during the summer.

Hundreds of injections

A large-scale raccoon capture and vaccination operation was then launched in the Stanstead region, a first in twenty years in Quebec, in addition to the dropping of vaccine bait by plane.

An injection was thus administered to 653 different animals – each vaccinated animal receives a spot of cattle paint and an ear tag to prevent double vaccinations.

Five animals showing symptoms of rabies were also euthanized and tested, confirming that they were all carriers of the virus.

This "emerging outbreak" therefore changes the plans of the MELCCFP, which will expand the vaccination campaign launched in spring 2024 to new sectors , and whose next operation is due to take place at the end of October.

Rabies is a fatal disease in 100% of cases in humans, once symptoms appear.

Travel ban

In light of these new cases, the ban on transporting animals likely to be infected with raccoon rabies has been extended until December 5 and extended to new municipalities, notably in the Valcourt region, in the Eastern Townships, and Saint-Théodore-d'Acton, in the Montérégie region.

"The travel ban applies within a radius of approximately 50 kilometers from detected cases," explains Marianne Gagnier, specifying that the ban does not mean that there have been cases in the targeted municipalities.

"It's a bit of a protection zone," she says, stressing the importance of respecting it.

"We think it has little impact if we move them not far, but often the animals will then move much further to find a new territory," explains the biologist.

A seemingly healthy animal can carry the virus and develop signs of the disease several weeks or even months after being infected, the ministry said.

The animals affected by the ban are raccoons, striped skunks, gray foxes, red foxes, coyotes and their hybrids.

https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/2025-10-01/estrie-et-monteregie/l-epidemie-de-rage-du-raton-laveur-prend-de-l-ampleur.php

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The number of people treated for raccoon rabies jumps

The number of people treated for rabies after being exposed to the virus has jumped in Quebec over the past two years, due to the spread of the epidemic in Montérégie and Estrie.

Published yesterday at 7:45 PM
Jean-Thomas Léveillé
La Presse

Post-exposure treatment was administered to 476 people in 2025, as of October 24, and to 300 people in 2024, compared with an average of 148 people in the previous eight years.

The months of August and September alone account for 180 people treated.

"The very, very, very vast majority of these exposures are very low risk, but we do not tolerate a very low risk with this disease," explains Dr. Alexandre Faguy, emergency physician at Pierre-Boucher Hospital in Longueuil.

The reason is that rabies is fatal in 100% of cases as soon as symptoms appear, which means that we cannot wait to know if the exposed person has actually contracted the virus before treating them.

"It is the deadliest known infectious disease."
Dr. Alexandre Faguy

Unlike other infectious diseases, rabies takes a long time to develop, which leaves plenty of time to intervene, adds Dr. Faguy .

"The treatment is 100% effective if given within the time frame," which is 10 days, he insists.

Numerous injections

The first thing anyone who believes they have been exposed to rabies should do is "a super aggressive cleaning of the wound with soap and water for a good 15 minutes" to prevent the virus from remaining in the wound and starting to replicate there, explains Dr. Faguy .

"It's very simple, but it works really well," he said.

Next, the exposed person should consult a doctor, who will assess the risk of exposure.

"That's really what our expertise is in the emergency room," the doctor continued.

If the doctor judges that treatment should be administered, the exposed person will first receive immunoglobulins, which is the blood serum of another person who has developed antibodies after being exposed to the virus by a vaccine.

Immunoglobulins, which are administered by injection directly into the wound, or sometimes more than one, thus allow the immune system to have immediate access to antibodies.

The exposed person then receives a first dose of the rabies vaccine to develop their own antibodies; they will need to receive three more doses in the following two weeks.

Other injections may be given in connection with the bite or scratch, such as the tetanus vaccine.

Raccoons and bats

The raccoon rabies epidemic that has been raging in Estrie and Montérégie since December 2024, where 80 infected raccoons and striped skunks have been recorded so far, and the immunization campaigns conducted by the Ministry of the Environment since spring 2024 are drawing attention to the virus and raising awareness among the public and the medical community, says Dr. Faguy .
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In many cases of possible exposure to rabies, it is the human who approached the animal and not the other way around, observes the doctor, who recalls an elementary rule: you must neither touch nor feed wild animals.

"This is the best way to avoid possible exposure to rabies."
Dr. Alexandre Faguy

However, the risk is not limited to the Eastern Townships and Montérégie regions, says Dr. Faguy , recalling that the main "reservoir of rabies in North America is primarily the bat," and that contact with this animal must be followed by treatment.

Post-exposure treatments for rabies have been administered to people from all over Quebec, according to data from the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) – the data is based on the place of residence of the people treated, and not on the place where they were exposed to the virus.

Montérégie and Estrie still account for nearly a third of the people treated in 2025, followed by the Island of Montreal, the Laurentians and Mauricie–Centre-du-Québec.

The most recent death caused by rabies in Quebec dates back 25 years. In October 2000, a child died from the virus after being bitten by a bat; this was the first case recorded in the province since the 1960s.

A more recent case occurred in Ontario: a child died of rabies in September 2024 after coming into contact with an infected bat.

New vaccination campaign in the Eastern Townships

A new rabies immunization campaign targeting raccoons, skunks, and foxes was organized in late October in the Lake Memphremagog region of the Eastern Townships, where seven infected animals have been discovered since the summer , raising fears of a new outbreak. Approximately 20 people manually distributed some 134,000 vaccine baits in areas frequented by these animals, including riverbanks, field edges and farm buildings, abandoned buildings, and garbage areas. The targeted territory, which extends to the outskirts of Sherbrooke, covers 1,600 square kilometers.
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https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/2025-11-04/le-nombre-de-personnes-traitees-contre-la-rage-du-raton-bondit.php

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Raccoon rabies outbreak

A new outbreak in the Stanstead area

The raccoon rabies epidemic in the Eastern Townships and Montérégie region now has a second outbreak, and the evolution of cases is prompting Quebec to expand the area where transporting animals at risk of contracting the virus is prohibited.

Published yesterday at 4:25 PM
Jean-Thomas Léveillé
La Presse

Nine raccoons infected with the virus, which is fatal to humans, have been recorded since August in the municipalities of Stanstead, Stanstead-East and Ogden, east of Lake Memphremagog.

These cases would be the result of local transmission, confirming the existence of a new outbreak, distinct from the one located in the Lake Champlain Valley, according to the Ministry of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP).

"An outbreak means more cases and something that seems to be taking hold," summarizes biologist Marianne Gagnier, provincial coordinator of rabies surveillance and control at the Ministry.

The one in Lake Memphremagog "is clearly linked to an outbreak with dozens of cases just south, in Vermont, in the Coventry and Derby area," she says.

Since the discovery of the first infected raccoon on December 17, 2024, the epidemic now has 88 confirmed cases.

Avoid Sherbrooke

Quebec authorities have stepped up vaccination operations for at-risk animals and surveillance of cases in the Lake Memphremagog region, particularly to prevent the epidemic from spreading to the city of Sherbrooke.

"Managing rabies in urban areas is still more complex," and not just because the number of humans who can be exposed to the virus is greater there, says Ms. Gagnier .

"Animals have more food sources, they have smaller home ranges, there are other species like squirrels that can steal vaccine baits when they are distributed," she illustrates.

Our operations could be more complex.
Marianne Gagnier, biologist

However, the spread of rabies cases seems to be slowing down since the autumn.

"We hope this is the result of our operations," said Ms. Gagnier , noting that some 134,000 vaccine baits were distributed manually in the Lake Memphremagog region, in addition to aerial spraying and capture and vaccine injection operations.

But this slowdown could also be due to the early arrival of cold weather and snow, which has led raccoons to settle into their "winter quarters," she postulates.

Raccoons do not hibernate, but they "winter," explains Ms. Gagnier : "they change their behavior, they will go more into tree hollows, farm buildings, a burrow; they will slow down their activities, live on their fat reserves, but they can still go out."

Transport prohibited

The ban on transporting animals at risk of contracting raccoon rabies is extended until February 4 and expanded to 13 new municipalities, including Ascot Corner and Cookshire-Eaton, east of Sherbrooke, and Sainte-Hélène-de-Bagot and Sainte-Martine, in Montérégie.

The animals targeted by this ban are obviously raccoons, but also striped skunks, grey foxes, red foxes, coyotes and their hybrids.

Moving these animals "can contribute to spreading rabies in areas currently free of cases," explains the MELCCP, which specifies that an animal "that appears healthy can carry the virus and develop signs of the disease several weeks, or even several months, after being infected."

The population of the Estrie and Montérégie regions, particularly in areas affected by the epidemic, is invited to report raccoons, skunks and foxes that are dead or that appear disoriented, injured, abnormally aggressive or paralyzed, by filling out an online form .

Anyone who has been bitten or scratched, or who has come into contact with the saliva of a suspected animal, should clean the wound with soap and water for 10 to 15 minutes, then contact Info-Santé 811 immediately.

The number of people treated for rabies has jumped in Quebec in the last two years, La Presse reported in November.

https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/2025-12-03/epidemie-de-rage-du-raton-laveur/un-nouveau-foyer-dans-la-region-de-stanstead.php

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Rabies in animals

Animal relocation prohibited in Estrie and Montérégie


Until February 4, 2026, it is prohibited to move or relocate live raccoons, striped skunks, gray and red foxes, as well as coyotes and their hybrids, within the territory of municipalities (PDF 201 Kb) located around known racoon rabies cases.

If you capture a nuisance animal (raccoon, striped skunk, gray fox, red fox or coyote) and it was not possible beforehand to scare it away or prevent it from causing damage to your property, you have two options:

• Release the animal on site (outside a building);
• Kill the animal (as a last resort). No permit is required in this context, and this may be done outside hunting and trapping seasons.

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2025

Since January 1, 2025, 87 cases of raccoon rabies have been confirmed. Additionally, one case was confirmed in December 2024.

2025-11-13	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge
2025-11-06	Skunk	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge
2025-11-04	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Stanstead
2025-11-04	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Armand
2025-10-30	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Farnham
2025-10-23	Raccoon	Raccoon	Montérégie	Clarenceville
2025-10-23	Raccoon	Raccoon	Montérégie	Henryville
2025-10-20	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge
2025-10-19	Skunk	Raccoon	Estrie	Farnham
2025-10-14	Raccoon	Raccoon	Montérégie	Venise-en-Québec
2025-10-14	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Sainte-Sabine
2025-10-10	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Ogden
2025-10-08	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge
2025-10-06	Raccoon	Raccoon	Montérégie	Noyan
2025-10-01	Skunk	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge
2025-10-01	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Farnham
2025-09-27	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge
2025-09-26	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Ogden
2025-09-25	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Farnham
2025-09-24	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Dunham
2025-09-18	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Ogden
2025-09-15	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge
2025-09-14	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge
2025-09-06	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Farnham
2025-09-04	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Notre-Dame-de-Stanbridge
2025-09-04	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Brigham
2025-09-03	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Dunham
2025-09-03	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Stanstead Est
2025-09-03	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Bromont
2025-09-03	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Sainte-Sabine
2025-08-30	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Stanstead
2025-08-30	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Brigham
2025-08-30	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge
2025-08-29	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Stanbridge East
2025-08-28	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Stanstead
2025-08-22	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Armand
2025-08-20	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Pike River
2025-08-19	Skunk	Raccoon	Estrie	Bedford
2025-08-12	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Stanstead
2025-08-12	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Frelighsburg
2025-08-11	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Bromont
2025-08-06	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Stanstead
2025-08-06	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge
2025-08-04	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Stanbridge East
2025-07-24	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge
2025-07-23	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge
2025-07-17	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Pike River
2025-07-14	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Armand
2025-07-10	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Stanbridge East
2025-07-10	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Pike River
2025-07-07	Raccoon	Raccoon	Montérégie	Henryville
2025-07-03	Skunk	Raccoon	Estrie	Bedford
2025-07-03	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Frelighsburg
2025-06-15	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Canton de Bedford
2025-06-14	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Frelighsburg
2025-06-04	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Pike River
2025-06-02	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Armand
2025-06-01	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Stanbridge East
2025-05-31	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Notre-Dame-de-Stanbridge
2025-05-26	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Stanbridge Station
2025-05-20	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Bedford
2025-05-16	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Notre-Dame-de-Stanbridge
2025-05-16	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Armand
2025-05-13	Raccoon	Raccoon	Montérégie	Venise-en-Québec
2025-05-02	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Notre-Dame-de-Stanbridge
2025-05-01	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Farnham
2025-04-25	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Notre-Dame-de-Stanbridge
2025-04-17	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Notre-Dame-de-Stanbridge
2025-04-16	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Armand
2025-04-14	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Armand
2025-04-11	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Frelighsburg
2025-03-27	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Armand
2025-03-25	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge
2025-03-18	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Canton de Bedford
2025-03-18	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Canton de Bedford
2025-03-12	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Armand
2025-03-12	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Pike River
2025-03-11	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Armand
2025-03-11	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Armand
2025-03-11	Raccoon	Raccoon	Montérégie	Venise-en-Québec
2025-03-07	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Armand
2025-03-04	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Pike River
2025-02-17	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Armand
2025-02-12	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Armand
2025-02-10	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Armand
2025-01-24	Raccoon	Raccoon	Montérégie	Venise-en-Québec
2025-01-19	Raccoon	Raccoon	Estrie	Saint-Armand

Since January 1, 2025, 8 cases of arctic fox rabies have been confirmed

2025-09-15	Wolf	Arctic fox	Nord-du-Québec	Waskaganish
2025-04-21	Red fox	Arctic fox	Nord-du-Québec	Waskaganish
2025-03-27	Dog	Arctic fox	Montréal (region of origin : Nord-du-Québec)	Montréal (municipality or origin : Umiujaq)
2025-03-15	Arctic fox	Arctic fox	Nord-du-Québec	Matagami
2025-03-04	Red fox	Arctic fox	Nord-du-Québec	Kattiniq, TNO Rivière Koksoak
2025-01-15	Red fox	Arctic fox	Nord-du-Québec	Kattiniq, TNO Rivière Koksoak
2025-01-08	Dog	Arctic fox	Nord-du-Québec	Inukjuak
2025-01-06	Arctic fox	Arctic fox	Nord-du-Québec	Whapmagoostui

Since January 1, 2025, 6 case of bat rabies have been confirmed.

2025-09-30	Big brown bat	Bat	Centre-du-Québec	Victoriaville
2025-09-17	Silver-haired bat	Bat	Centre-du-Québec	Saint-Léonard-d’Aston
2025-08-21	Big brown bat	Bat	Montérégie	Verchères
2025-08-20	Big brown bat	Bat	Centre-du-Québec	Drummondville
2025-08-06	Big brown bat	Bat	Montérégie	Salaberry-de-Valleyfield
2025-06-04	Big brown bat	Bat	Montérégie	Godmanchester

...

https://www.quebec.ca/agriculture-environnement-et-ressources-naturelles/sante-animale/maladies-animales/liste-maladies-animales/rage-chez-les-animaux

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Raccoon rabies New measures in the Eastern Townships and Montérégie to curb the epidemic

The raccoon rabies epidemic continues to spread in Estrie and Montérégie, where the ban on transporting animals was extended on Tuesday and is expanding to new areas.

Published yesterday at 11:52
Jean-Thomas Léveillé
La Presse

Stoke and Saint-François-Xavier-de-Brompton are added to the hundred or so municipalities where it is forbidden to transport raccoons, but also striped skunks, grey and red foxes as well as coyotes and their hybrids.

Consult the list of municipalities concerned

Furthermore, animal shelters are no longer allowed to receive or retrieve these animals from areas where the ban is in effect.

"This is to avoid moving the disease elsewhere, where it could affect many more animals," explains biologist Marianne Gagnier, provincial coordinator of rabies surveillance and control at the Ministry of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP).

These measures are all the more important because an animal that appears healthy can carry the virus and develop symptoms of rabies several weeks or even several months after being infected, she points out.

The only way to determine if an animal is infected with the virus is to analyze a part of its brain, which implies that the animal is dead.
...
Fourteen new cases of raccoon rabies have been recorded since the beginning of 2026, bringing the total to 108 cases since the start of the outbreak in December 2024.

"There has been progress in recent weeks, we cannot say that the epidemic is under control," says Ms. Gagnier .

The number of new cases is similar to that of last year at this time, but the affected area is much larger, she observes.

Two distinct hotspots coexist: one in the Lake Champlain valley, the other in the Lake Memphremagog valley.

One of the new cases was recorded in Rougemont, about fifteen kilometers north of the nearest previous case, which is suspicious in the eyes of the authorities.

"This is the kind of situation that can be caused by human displacement," explains Ms. Gagnier , specifying that there is no way to say with certainty that this is indeed the case.

Deadly disease

Rabies is fatal in 100% of cases, including in humans, as soon as symptoms appear.

Anyone who has been bitten or scratched, or who has come into contact with the saliva of a suspected animal, should clean the wound with soap and water for 10 to 15 minutes, then quickly contact the Info-Santé 811 service.

The population of the Estrie and Montérégie regions, particularly in areas affected by the epidemic, is invited to report raccoons, skunks and foxes that are dead or that appear disoriented, injured, abnormally aggressive or paralyzed, by filling out an online form.

Fill out the online form
Vaccination operations

To curb the spread of the epidemic, Quebec will resume vaccination operations in the spring, by aerial or ground spraying of vaccine baits, like those that have been carried out since 2024 .

The goal is to create a "vaccine barrier," explains Marianne Gagnier: "All vaccinated animals represent a barrier against the progression of the disease."

Vaccines spread in the spring target adult animals, while summer spreadings allow for the vaccination of their young.

Although the situation remains worrying, the authorities are confident in the effectiveness of the measures they are putting in place.

“Based on past experience, we know that it takes several years of intervention to control rabies in wild animal populations,” explains Ms. Gagnier . “We need to build immunity.”

https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/sante/2026-04-07/rage-du-raton-laveur/nouvelles-mesures-en-estrie-et-en-monteregie-pour-freiner-l-epidemie.php

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Rabies in animals
Animal transport is prohibited in the Eastern Townships and Montérégie regions.

Until June 6, 2026 , it is prohibited to move or relocate raccoons, striped skunks, grey and red foxes, as well as coyotes and their hybrids, when alive, within the territory of municipalities (PDF 253 KB) located around known cases of raccoon rabies.

If you capture a nuisance animal (raccoon, striped skunk, grey fox, red fox or coyote) and it has not been possible beforehand to scare it away or prevent it from causing damage to your property , you have two options :

• Release the animal on the spot (outside a building);
• Killing the animal (as a last resort). No permit is required in this context, and it can be done outside of hunting and trapping seasons.

Rabies: a risk to you and your pets

If you have been bitten or scratched by an animal or have come into contact with its saliva, see the What to do after contact with a possibly infected animal section of the Rabies in humans page.

If you suspect that your pet has come into contact with an animal infected with rabies, consult your veterinarian immediately.
If you suspect that a wild animal has rabies , keep your distance and report its presence to 1-877-346-6763 or fill out the form. online form
The animal could be recovered for analysis.

...
Cases of rabies in animals

In Quebec, cases of rabies are detected in wild and domestic animals every year. These cases are detected following tests performed on animals:

• who have had contact with a human or a domestic animal;
• who have suspicious signs of rabies;
• which were recovered as part of targeted rabies or wildlife health surveillance programs.

Confirmed cases represent only a portion of infected animals . In the wild, animals can be infected without their infection being detected.

The absence of detected rabies cases in a region or sector does not mean that the virus is absent from that territory. The risk of finding a wild or domestic animal infected with the rabies virus exists throughout Quebec.

The table shows the laboratory-confirmed cases of rabies by year.
2026

Since January ^1, 2026, 14 cases of raccoon rabies have been confirmed. It should be noted that cases were also confirmed in 2025 and 2024.

2026-03-23	Raccoon	Raccoon	Montérégie	Henryville
2026-03-09	Raccoon	Raccoon	Montérégie	Saint Alexander
2026-03-09	Raccoon	Raccoon	Montérégie	Saint Alexander
2026-03-09	Raccoon	Raccoon	Eastern Townships	Cowansville
2026-03-05	Raccoon	Raccoon	Montérégie	Clarenceville
2026-03-05	Raccoon	Raccoon	Montérégie	Rougemont
2026-03-04	Raccoon	Raccoon	Montérégie	Clarenceville
2026-02-26	Raccoon	Raccoon	Eastern Townships	Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge
2026-02-01	Raccoon	Raccoon	Eastern Townships	Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge
2026-01-19	Raccoon	Raccoon	Eastern Townships	Farnham
2026-01-19	Raccoon	Raccoon	Montérégie	Venice in Quebec
2026-01-11	Raccoon	Raccoon	Montérégie	Noyan
2026-01-09	Raccoon	Raccoon	Eastern Townships	Dunham
2026-01-04	Raccoon	Raccoon	Eastern Townships	Bedford

One case of bat rabies was confirmed in 2026.

2026-01-24	Large brown bat	Bat	Mauricie	Trois-Rivières

...

https://www.quebec.ca/agriculture-environnement-et-ressources-naturelles/sante-animale/maladies-animales/liste-maladies-animales/rage-chez-les-animaux

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Ministry of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks' Post

Ministry of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks
21h

A FIRST CASE OF RACCOON RABIES CONFIRMED IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF SAINT-CYPRIEN-DE-NAPIERVILLE, IN THE MONTÉRÉGIE REGION

A dead raccoon was found and reported by a citizen in Saint-Cyprien-de-Napierville. The animal was recovered by our technicians. Analysis of the specimen revealed the presence of the raccoon rabies virus. This is the first case discovered west of the Richelieu River.

Other cases of raccoon rabies have been detected in recent weeks and our teams will soon begin the first vaccination operation of 2026, in order to slow the spread of raccoon rabies in Quebec.

We take this opportunity to remind you of the measures to take to protect yourself while contributing to the fight against raccoon rabies:

Get your pets vaccinated against rabies;

Report raccoons, skunks or foxes exhibiting abnormal behaviour in Estrie or Montérégie to 1 877 346-6763 or online at quebec.ca/rageduratonlaveur ;

Do not touch dead animals and keep your distance in the presence of wild animals, even if they appear injured, sick or orphaned;

Do not move live raccoons, skunks, foxes and coyotes; it is prohibited in the territory of more than 150 municipalities in the Eastern Townships and the Montérégie.

You can consult the complete list of affected municipalities here: https://cdn-contenu.quebec.ca/.../liste-municipalites... . An animal that appears healthy can spread rabies to new areas.

To learn more about safe behaviors to adopt to protect yourself: https://www.quebec.ca/.../problem.../az/rage-chez-humain... .

If you have been bitten by an unknown animal or if you have come into contact with its saliva:

Clean the wound for 10 to 15 minutes with soap and water, even if it seems minor;

Contact Info-Santé 811;

If it is a domestic animal, note the owner's contact details so that they can have the risk of the animal carrying rabies assessed.

Frédérick Lelièvre

Municipality of Saint-Cyprien de Napierville

https://www.facebook.com/EnvironnementQc/posts/pfbid02XZuKDGX8Ef9ta8dV6CBLCDkyYJoKTNAwAQunc7dLzhcV7jk1kH2DtF4VaTWcce4El