Toronto raccoons likely infected with distemper, not rabies
Digital Reporter
Sunday, February 11, 2018, 9:19 PM - A representative with Toronto Animal Service says a raccoon which allegedly bit a man in the city Sunday was likely suffering from canine distemper, not rabies.
In a pair of tweets, Toronto Police Operations described an animal complaint during which a man was chased and bitten by a raccoon.
The second tweet read the animal had been caught, and that a virus has been spreading through the south end of the city.
According to a spokesperson for Animal Services, an on-call manager could not confirm that a bite had occurred. As well, the representative asserted that the raccoon was likely to be infected with canine distemper (CDV), a virus that is harmless to humans but can effect dogs.
Raccoons with CDV can seem lethargic and disoriented. They may behave aggressively is they are sick, disturbed from their den, are being protective or feel threatened.
Over the last few years, there have been hundreds of cases of distemper in raccoons in all parts of Toronto, according to Animal Services.
Watch below: Raccoons playing with sprinklers in recent Toronto heat wave
