Public health advises residents to steer clear of wildlife and unknown dogs as rabies investigations increase

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The outdoors is calling as the weather warms and summer is ushered in, and that means an uptick in animal bites, scratches, and, sometimes, intense interactions with gnarly neighbourhood dogs.

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Grey Bruce Public Health advises people to avoid wildlife and exercise caution with unfamiliar pets as rabies exposure investigations continue to increase.

GBPH said it conducted 592 rabies exposure investigations in 2023. About two-thirds of those followed a dog bite. Over 130 incidents were linked to a cat bite or scratch, while 21 involved a human-wildlife interaction.

There were 568 rabies exposure investigations in 2022, 514 in 2021, and 520 in 2020.

Senior Public Health Manager Andrew Barton said Friday they are unsure of the reason for the steady uptick in rabies exposure investigations, but theorizes it may just be a numbers game as the population of both humans and animals increase in the region during the summer months.

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“As more people are out and about in the sun and enjoying themselves there are more opportunities for interactions with other dogs and wildlife,” he said.

He said dog bites sometimes go unreported, but notifying public health to ensure the dog is healthy and has an updated rabies vaccine is important, and that in his experience all dog breeds bite in certain situations.

“It really does run the gamut from tiny toy poodles to huge dogs and everything in between . . . at the end of the day it’s natural for dogs to bite in certain circumstances,” Barton said.

Rabies can be prevented by vaccinating susceptible animals and preventing human exposure to potentially infected animals. Immediate medical care after exposure to a potentially rabid animal can also prevent rabies.

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In the spring and summer, Grey Bruce Public Health typically sees more reports of people being bitten or scratched by wild animals, particularly raccoons.

Barton said most of the time bites happen when people try to help wild animals they perceive to be injured or unwell.

“Wild animals, such as raccoons and baby skunks, may look cute and harmless, but people should resist the urge to approach, feed, handle, or care for them as doing so could pose health and injury risks,” Barton said.

Rabies is a rare, but potentially serious virus in Canada. It is usually transmitted to humans through direct contact with saliva from an infected animal, such as through a bite or, less commonly, a scratch.

Rabies is almost always fatal in people and animals once symptoms appear. Bats, skunks, foxes, and raccoons are the most common animals to have rabies in Canada.

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Human rabies cases are exceedingly rare in Ontario, with the province’s last domestic case in a human occurring in 1967.

There were 56 confirmed wildlife rabies cases in Ontario in 2023, with the vast majority involving bats. In Grey-Bruce, the most recent case of rabies involving a non-flying animal was in 2009. A bat tested positive for rabies in 2023. Two bats tested positive in 2020, one in The Blue Mountains and another in Brockton, and a rabid bat was confirmed in the Kemble area in 2018.

“One of the reasons for a reduction in animals like foxes, raccoons and skunks is the Ministry of Natural Resources developed a bait a number of years ago that actually vaccinates those animals,” Barton said. “It’s been very successful, but it doesn’t work for bats. Bats kind of remain that last reservoir. Not that we have a lot of positive bats, but it would be reasonable to expect there are some out there.”

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Barton said the best advice to avoid an interaction with a bat is to ensure they’re kept out of the home or cottage with proper maintenance and to call a professional if bats are in an attic or roof.

Human interactions with bats while outdoors are rare, Barton said.

Public Health advises residents and visitors to do the following to prevent potentially negative interactions with wildlife:

• Stay away from wild animals and always refrain from touching, petting, or handling wildlife or keeping wild animals as pets.

• Avoid feeding wild animals.

• Keep pets away from wild animals and do not let pets roam unsupervised.

• Wildlife-proof homes and yards.

• Do not disturb baby animals.

• Warn children to stay away from wild or stray animals.

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• Do not trap and transport wild animals to a new location.

To prevent dog bites, GBPH advises the following:

• Always ask a dog’s owner if it is OK to approach their pet, even if it’s on a leash.

• Do Not approach an unfamiliar dog.

• Do not touch a dog that’s eating, sleeping, or chewing a toy.

• Be mindful that sick or injured pets may bite out of fear or confusion.

• Steer clear of dogs that are loose or unattended or growling or barking.

• Stay quiet and still if an unknown dog approaches you.

• Recognize dog body language that could indicate a dog may become aggressive.

If bitten by a dog, try to get the owner’s name and contact information. Confirming the dog’s vaccination status can allow the person to avoid post-exposure rabies treatment.

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