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  Rabies Control

This page was reviewed or revised on Friday, August 14, 2009.

Contingency Plan Raccoon Rabies for the County of Lambton, Revised March 2004

PDF OF THE PLAN  Overview of the plan is below.  To download and read the complete report in PDF format, please click here.

The purpose of the Plan is to provide a coordinated action plan to cope with the threat posed by raccoon rabies.

This plan is not a strategy to deal with wildlife conflict (nuisance animals) in the community.  A “nuisance” animal is any animal that is in conflict with use or enjoyment of property or facilities.

As our towns and cities grow, we occupy more and more animals’ habitat.  It is therefore not unusual to see a healthy raccoon or fox in close proximity to built-up areas.

This document is focused on early detection and monitoring of the raccoon strain of rabies and the coordination of the various agencies involved in its control should the raccoon strain of rabies be confirmed in the area covered by this plan.

Emergency Readiness

Raccoons carrying the raccoon strain of rabies have been identified in Ontario .  

Ontario has a large raccoon population.  Now that raccoon strain of rabies has arrived, it is important for Ontario residents, especially those in urban areas, to understand raccoon rabies and how to protect themselves and their families against the disease.  

In Ontario, there is no single agency with the staff and financial resources to unilaterally undertake comprehensive emergency planning.  A high degree of cooperation amongst various government agencies and the public is required to achieve an acceptable level of emergency readiness.  

If the protocols set out in this document are respected by the participant agencies/ organizations, the significant health risks associated with raccoon rabies can be significantly reduced.  These protocols can also form the basis of a higher level of awareness and emergency readiness.  

The plan will set out actions to:  

a)      reduce the potential for entry of more raccoon rabies into Eastern Ontario Health Unit jurisdiction (Prevention & Detection);  

b)      slow its spread beyond any initial outbreak (Control); and  

c)      inform the public and the various agencies to enable them to take appropriate action (Education & Communication).

For more information or enquiries about Rabies Control, please contact the Team Leader, Rabies Control at 519-383-8331 ext. 742 or 1-800-667-1839.

The Ministry of Health has two toll-free 1-800 lines for the public to get direct and immediate access to information on rabies. The number for the general public is 1-800-268-1154, and the number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-387-5559.

Fact Sheets have been developed by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) to answer all questions regarding the rabies disease and how to protect family members and pets and who to contact for more information. The fact sheets are available at http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/rabies/ - MNR's Rabies in Ontario Website. General information on rabies is also available by calling MNR at 1-888-574-6656.