--- title: "How to Get Rid of a Rabid Raccoon" description: "Bird & Animal Control and Removal, Raccoons, Skunks, Squirrels, Pigeon, Geese, Gulls in Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton, London, Niagara. Using unique methods incl. Falconry. Results guaranteed." url: "https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/how-to-get-rid-of-a-rabid-raccoon" date: "2026-11-12T18:09:50+00:00" language: "en-GB" --- ## Breadcrumbs [Home](https://www.hawkeye.ca/) > [Blog](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog) > How to Get Rid of a Rabid Raccoon # How to Get Rid of a Rabid Raccoon Written by: Dan Frankian Published: 12 November 2026 - [raccoon rabies,](https://www.hawkeye.ca/component/tags/tag/raccoon-rabies) - [rabies in Ontario](https://www.hawkeye.ca/component/tags/tag/rabies-in-ontario) - [number of raccoons rabies cases in Ontario](https://www.hawkeye.ca/component/tags/tag/number-of-raccoons-rabies-cases-in-ontario) - [raccoon control](https://www.hawkeye.ca/component/tags/tag/raccoon-control) - [raccoon removal](https://www.hawkeye.ca/component/tags/tag/raccoon-removal) **Most importantly - DO NOT!** Do not handle a [raccoon suspected of carrying rabies](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/blog/how-to-tell-if-a-raccoon-has-rabies), alive or deceased. A rabid raccoon requires a professional response; attempting to catch, handle, or remove the animal yourself can expose you, your family, and your pets to the virus.  In this article, we'll break down how to report, respond safely, seek professional intervention, and navigate the legal considerations of dealing with a rabid raccoon. ## Is Rabies Even Still a Thing? Yes, unfortunately, rabies keeps creeping up in areas across Canada, even though there haven't been any major outbreaks in the last two years. Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) of mainly raccoons, skunks, and foxes in the wild. It can also be transmitted to domesticated animals and humans and is almost always fatal. ## Quebec’s Raccoon Rabies Outbreak: Why the Situation Requires Attention - [Raccoon rabies](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/rabies-in-ontario/why-you-should-you-be-concerned-about-rabies-in-raccoons) re-emerged in Quebec in December 2024 after the province had largely eliminated this variant following earlier control efforts. - Due to animal movement, it spread across Estrie, Montérégie, and Centre-du-Québec. - Quebec reported 328 confirmed raccoon rabies cases in 2026 on its government rabies information page, updated October 29, 2026. - The [first confirmed case of raccoon rabies in a domestic cat in Quebec](https://www.quebec.ca/en/news/actualites/detail/the-first-confirmed-case-of-raccoon-rabies-in-a-cat-and-a-reminder-of-the-importance-of-protecting-our-pets-72110), reported in July 2026, highlights the potential risk to pets. - Even residents outside the outbreak area still need to take precautions: wildlife can move, and the absence of confirmed cases in an area does not guarantee the virus is absent. ## What Does a Raccoon Infected with Rabies Look Like? We should first look at the signs that might lead you to believe that a raccoon has rabies: - ****Unusually Docile****A raccoon that seems unusually approachable or shows no fear of people may be ill. - ****Unexpected Aggression**** A raccoon that appears agitated, aggressive, or attacks without provocation. - ****Disoriented or Staggering****Because rabies attacks the nervous system, it can cause an animal to stagger, stumble, circle, fall, or appear confused and disoriented. - ****Difficulty Swallowing**** A raccoon infected with rabies may have trouble eating, drinking, or swallowing normally. - ****Excessive Drooling****Inability to swallow saliva may look like drooling; this sometimes described as 'foaming from the mouth'. - ****Weakness or Paralysis:**** As the disease progresses and neurological symptoms increase, the animal may become very weak or paralyzed. ##  ## How to Get Remove a Rabid Raccoon Safely Under no circumstance should you handle the animal. Many municipalities in Canada offer animal control services by calling 3-1-1. Please call them and follow their instructions. In addition, here’s what to do if you see a rabid raccoon: - **Isolate the animal** Keep your distance and prevent children, visitors, and pets from approaching the animal. Do not attempt to corner, touch, feed, or frighten it. - **Call for help** Contact the appropriate municipal or provincial wildlife or animal-control authority and follow its instructions. Depending on the location and circumstances, wildlife authorities or appropriately qualified professionals may handle the animal. - **Give animal control as much information as possible** Provide the animal's location, condition, and whether it has had contact with people or domestic animals. Restrict access to the animal's location while waiting for assistance. - **Protect your pets** Keep pets indoors or separated until the animal has been removed. In the meantime, remove ALL water sources that could have been shared by your pet and the infected animal. The virus is transmitted through saliva and will contaminate water. - **Deceased raccoon** Do not approach a dead raccoon or attempt to collect its body. Ordinary nuisance-wildlife removal procedures are not suitable or safe for an animal suspected of having rabies. Authorities may provide further guidance if the raccoon has been in contact with people, pets, or livestock and the animal will almost certainly be removed for a necropsy (an autopsy performed on animals) to confirm the presence of rabies. ## What to Do If a Rabid Raccoon Bites or Scratches Someone It's important to know that rabies is transmitted through saliva. While a scratch from a wild animal is never a good thing, the likelihood of getting infected by a scratch is very low. ### First Aid Immediately wash the wound or exposed area with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes. If you have an antiseptic (povidone-iodine, alcohol, or chlorhexidine) on hand, apply it and cover the wound loosely with a clean bandage. ### Get to a Hospital Seek urgent medical advice at your nearest emergency department, even if the wound appears minor. Do not wait for symptoms to appear before seeking medical attention. Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) includes wound care, human rabies immune globulin (HRIG), and a vaccine given at the time of the first medical visit, and a dose of vaccine given again on days 3, 7, and 14 after the first dose. ### Report to Health Canada Report the incident to the appropriate public-health authority (the hospital may do so as well). ## What If Your Dog or Cat Comes into Contact With a Rabid Raccoon? - Separate the pet from other animals and people without putting yourself at risk. - Contact a veterinarian immediately. - Provide details about the contact, including possible bites, scratches, or exposure to saliva. - Have the pet's rabies vaccination records available. - Follow veterinary and public-health instructions regarding observation, isolation, or other required measures. Regardless of how you feel about vaccinating your pet, the rabies vaccine is one you should not forego. It is the only real preventative measure available. ## What To Do If You Encounter a Dead Raccoon If you suspect that the animal was rabid, please notify your local animal control unit. Again, in many municipalities across Ontario, you can do so by dialing 3-1-1. You should never handle dead wildlife with bare hands, regardless of the cause of death. If the raccoon is located on YOUR property (you are the registered land owner), you are permitted to bury it. You must bury the animal at a depth of at least two feet, with three or four feet recommended by the [Government of Ontario.](https://www.ontario.ca/page/safe-handling-and-disposal-dead-wild-animals) There may also be landfills in your area that accept carcasses. Always consult local guidelines. ## When Should You Contact a Professional Raccoon Removal Company? Requesting help from a professional wildlife removal service is appropriate for ordinary raccoon activity, property damage, or recurring wildlife access. But nuisance raccoon removal is different from the response to a suspected rabid animal. Ask whether the company you consider hiring is appropriately licensed or authorized for rabid raccoon removal, follows provincial requirements, and knows when to refer suspected rabies cases to authorities. ## [Contact Hawkeye](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/index.php?Itemid=1168) Bird & Animal Control Rabid raccoons should never be approached or handled casually. The safest response is to keep people and pets away, report the animal, and follow official instructions. For recurring nuisance raccoon problems on properties, you can rely on Hawkeye's 35+ year record of professional [raccoon removal services](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/toronto-raccoon-removal-control) in the GTA. [Call Hawkeye today](tel:416-429-5393) to get rid of raccoons on your property. Hawkeye's [raccoon removal services](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/raccoon-control-trapping-and-removal) are available all across Southern Ontario, including [Toronto](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/toronto-raccoon-removal-control), [Scarborough](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/bird-animal-control-services-in-scarborough-ontario), [Brampton](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/brampton-raccoon-squirrel-removal), [Vaughan](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/bird-animal-control-services-in-vaughan-concord-woodbridge-ontario), [Markham](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/markham-bird-animal-control), [Ajax](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/bird-animal-control-services-in-ajax-ontario), [Pickering](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/blog/get-rid-of-raccoons-from-homes-near-pickerings-ravines-and-green-spaces)[,](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/blog/get-rid-of-raccoons-from-homes-near-pickerings-ravines-and-green-spaces) [Newmarket](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/bird-animal-control-services-in-newmarket-ontario), [Etobicoke](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/bird-animal-control-services-in-etobicoke-ontario), [Oshawa](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/bird-animal-control-services-in-oshawa-ontario), and [Mississauga.](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/mississauga-raccoon-control-and-removal) **Related Articles:** [https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/raccoon-control-tips-to-protect-pets](https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/blog/raccoon-control-tips-to-protect-pets) ## JSON-LD Schema ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://www.hawkeye.ca/#/schema/Organization/base", "name": "Hawkeye Bird and Animal Control & Falconry Experience: Canada's Pest Bird & Wildlife/Animal Removal Specialist", "url": "https://www.hawkeye.ca/" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://www.hawkeye.ca/#/schema/WebSite/base", "url": "https://www.hawkeye.ca/", "name": "Hawkeye Bird and Animal Control & Falconry Experience: Canada's Pest Bird & Wildlife/Animal Removal Specialist", "publisher": { "@id": "https://www.hawkeye.ca/#/schema/Organization/base" } }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.hawkeye.ca/#/schema/WebPage/base", "url": "https://www.hawkeye.ca/blog/how-to-get-rid-of-a-rabid-raccoon", "name": "How to Get Rid of a Rabid Raccoon", "description": "Bird & Animal Control and Removal, Raccoons, Skunks, Squirrels, Pigeon, Geese, Gulls in Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton, London, Niagara. 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