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First Case of Raccoon Rabies in a Cat Confirmed in Quebec
Officials say 118 raccoon rabies cases have been confirmed since Jan. 1 as Quebec urges pet owners to keep vaccinations current.
On July 23, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food confirmed Quebec's first case of raccoon rabies in a stray cat in Godmanchester, marking the disease's transmission to a domestic animal.
Since January 1, 2026, officials have confirmed 118 cases of raccoon rabies, a virus that returned to the Montérégie and Eastern Townships in 2024 after previously being eliminated from Quebec.
Wildlife officials have launched a new campaign in the Montérégie to immunize raccoons, hoping to vaccinate up to 1,000 animals over two weeks using a "catch and release" operation.
Because rabies is fatal once symptoms appear, the ministry advises residents to wash bites or scratches for 15 minutes and call Info-Santé at 811 immediately if exposed to a suspected animal.
Residents of Estrie, Montérégie, and Centre-du-Québec are asked by Marianne Gagnier of the Ministry of Forests, Fauna and Parks to report any dead, injured, or aggressive raccoons, skunks, or foxes.