Wild animal vaccination operation in Estrie and Montérégie: The Ministère takes action to combat raccoon rabies in Québec

QUÉBEC, Aug. 4, 2025 /CNW/ - The Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs is informing the population of Estrie and Montérégie that it will carry out a vaccine bait distribution operation 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 following the detection of several cases of the disease in raccoons in Québec since December 2024.

During this period, the Ministère's teams will cover an area of 7,016 km² to distribute approximately 635,000 vaccine baits in forested areas, on the banks of watercourses, at the edges of agricultural fields and abandoned buildings, and near garbage bins. Vaccine baits will be distributed in three ways: by airplane (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 vaccine bait distribution this summer, including 48 in Estrie and 68 in Montérégie.

The vaccine bait looks like a greenish ketchup packet or a khaki-green ravioli and gives off a sweet smell that is attractive to the target species. Because of its colour, it blends into the environment and is hard for humans to spot. The bait's casing is designed to withstand weather conditions and the impact of aerial distribution. To find out what to do if you come across a vaccine bait, visit the Québec.ca website under the section 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 surveillance zone for raccoon rabies: 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 recent cases of rabies detected in Quebec, this addition is required to monitor the spread of raccoon rabies across the affected territory in Quebec.

To support efforts to combat raccoon rabies in Québec, the public is invited to report any dead raccoons, skunks or foxes, or any that seem disoriented, injured, unusually aggressive or paralyzed, by calling 1-877-346-6763 or filling out the online form.

Additional vaccination efforts in the Stanstead area

The risk of raccoon rabies introduction from Vermont is currently very high for the municipality of Stanstead and the surrounding area. Cases of rabies were detected in early July 2025 in the municipality of Derby, Vermont, less than 10 kilometres from the Canada–U.S. border. People who frequent this area are urged to be vigilant and report any wild animals suspected of carrying rabies.

An additional vaccination operation will take place in this area of Estrie starting August 5. This operation will cover a zone of approximately 100 km² that includes the municipalities of Barnston-Ouest, Ogden, 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, vaccinate them and release them on site. The cages used comply with international trapping standards and will be checked daily. If a domestic animal or an unintended species is accidentally captured, it will be released immediately. The objective is to immunize as many wild animals as possible to prevent the emergence of a second raccoon rabies outbreak in Québec.

To ensure the success of this operation and to protect themselves against raccoon rabies, residents of affected municipalities are asked to follow the recommendations below:

• Keep your domestic animals indoors or under supervision to prevent them from being captured in cages. If this were to happen, they would be released by the Ministère's teams.
• Do not approach the cages and never attempt to release a captured animal.
• If you have any questions about this operation, call 1–877–346–6763.

Rabies can be prevented by adopting safe behaviours

• If you have been bitten or scratched by an animal, or have come into contact with its saliva, clean the wound (even if it appears minor) with soap and water for 10 to 15 minutes, and promptly contact Info-Santé 811 to obtain appropriate medical follow-up. If the animal is domestic, record the owner's contact information to help assess the risk that the animal may be carrying rabies.
• Consult a veterinarian to have your domestic animals vaccinated against rabies and keep their vaccination up to date, and to assess the risk if they have been in contact with a wild animal or are showing signs consistent with rabies.
• Follow all recommendations to prevent rabies and protect yourself.

Key facts:

• Rabies is a contagious and deadly disease that can affect all mammals, meaning it can be transmitted from an infected animal to a human.
• It is currently prohibited to move or relocate live raccoons, striped skunks, gray and red foxes, as well as coyotes and their hybrids, within the municipalities located near known raccoon rabies cases.
• An initial vaccination operation was carried out from April 14 to May 6, 2025, in Estrie and Montérégie. Teams from the Ministère covered nearly 1,100 km² to distribute approximately 75,000 vaccine baits across the territory of 27 municipalities.
• Since 2006, following the detection of the first case of the disease in Québec, the Plan de lutte contre la rage du raton laveur has been in place. The interventions under this plan are based on the recommendations of an expert committee and are approved by an interministerial committee composed of representatives from the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, the Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation, and the Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs.

Related links:

• Raccoon rabies surveillance and control operations
• Map of specimens collected as part of the surveillance conducted in Québec since January 1, 2024
• Confirmed rabies cases in Québec
• IMPORTANT NOTICE - Vaccination against raccoon rabies of wild animals on your territory

Source and information:

Media Relations
Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les
changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs
[email protected]
Tel. : [phone]

SOURCE Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs