By Ruby Pratka
Local Journalism Initiative
The municipalities of Frelighsburg and Saint-Armand are encouraging residents to get their dogs and cats vaccinated against rabies amid a sharp spike in raccoon rabies cases. According to the Quebec government, at least 22 raccoons infected with the disease have been discovered in Estrie and Montérégie since December 2024. The virus is spread by the saliva of infected animals, and is fatal to unvaccinated animals. The Quebec environment ministry has been planting edible “vaccine baits” in parts of Estrie and Montérégie frequented by raccoons as part of its efforts to slow the spread.
Saint-Armand will hold a cat and dog vaccination clinic in partnership with the Bedford Veterinary Clinic on May 24. Pet owners who sign up in advance (by phone at 450-248-2344 or online on the town website) will be able to get one cat or dog vaccinated for free, and additional animals vaccinated at cost while supplies last; clinicians will volunteer their time. Frelighsburg plans to hold a similar clinic later this spring on a date to be determined, with support from the SPA des Cantons and a volunteer veterinarian who will measure out doses adapted for each animal. Both clinics are being held for the first time.
“The goal is to get as many animals as possible vaccinated,” said Marie-Hélène Croteau, director general of the municipality of Saint-Armand, where 12 cases of rabies in raccoons have been documented since December. “We don’t want the budget to be a barrier.”
“Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent rabies and protect both animals and the people around them. We strongly encourage eligible pet owners in Saint-Armand to take advantage of this opportunity to ensure their pets are protected,” the Bedford Veterinary Clinic said in a statement.
“We are letting people know about the importance of getting their pets vaccinated, but for a lot of people, unfortunately, the financial aspect goes ahead of the safety aspect,” Frelighsburg mayor Lucie Dagenais told the BCN. “The cost of around $150 is prohibitive for some people, because before the animal gets vaccinated, it has to be examined by a vet.” Veterinarians recommend vaccinating dogs and cats against rabies once around 12 weeks of age and a second time a year later; booster shots are recommended every three years. Dagenais warned area residents to keep small children and pets away from wild animals.
Rabies also presents a risk to humans, although human cases are rare – the last recorded human rabies fatality in Quebec was in 2000. According to the CIUSSS de l’Estrie-CHUS, there are no plans to carry out a large-scale vaccination campaign to prevent rabies in humans in the near future; those who think they may have been bitten by a rabid animal are advised to wash the bite wound thoroughly with soap and water and call Info-Santé 811 as soon as possible to schedule an emergency vaccination. People who come into frequent contact with animals can get a preventive rabies vaccine at a travel clinic. Further information in English about rabies prevention can be found at quebec.ca/en/health/health-issues/a-z/rabies-in-humans.