Confirmed rabies exposure in Toronto spurs search for unidentified owner and dog
Toronto Public Health (TPH) is looking to identify an owner and their dog that were licked and jumped on by a dog with a confirmed rabies case in early January.
The interaction occurred on Jan. 12, the agency says, when a brown, mixed labrador retriever, who has since tested positive for rabies, came in contact with an unidentified owner and their “bulldog-type dog” on Bison Drive and Regatta Crescent, near the intersection of Bathurst Street and Steeles Avenue West, in Toronto.
A statement issued on Tuesday by TPH says the labrador, who at the time did not appear sick, jumped up on and licked the unidentified owner of the bulldog-type dog.
On Jan. 19, TPH received a confirmation that the labrador has tested positive for rabies.
The agency is looking to speak with the owner of the bulldog “to assess their risk of exposure to rabies and, if needed, support preventative treatment.”
TPH says that all other human and canine contacts have been identified and contacted, with the exception of the bulldog-type dog and its owner, adding that the agency has “engaged in door-knocking and postering in the community, as well as contacted nearby veterinarians and Toronto Animal Services.” Because of this, the agency said the risk of rabies exposure to the general public remains very low.
According to TPH, the bulldog-type dog may have been named “Bulldozer” but says it’s unsure of the dog’s current name.
WHAT IS RABIES?
“Rabies is a viral infection that affects the nervous system of warm-blooded animals, including humans,” TPH said.
“If it is left untreated before symptoms appear, rabies will lead to death. The rabies virus is spread through the saliva of an infected animal, usually entering through a bite or more rarely a scratch.”
The agency says that rabies can not always be identified without testing, but that transmission and severe illness can be prevented after exposure by immunization. While effective, the vaccine must be administered before symptoms appear, they say.
TPH is encouraging all residents to take the following steps in order to reduce the risk of rabies exposure:
- Ensure that your pet’s rabies vaccinations are up to date.
- Always supervise your dog. Dogs should not run loose in public spaces in the city, except in off-leash parks.
- Stay away from all wild animals, whether they appear tame, injured or sick. Every animal is capable of unpredictable behaviour.
- Keep pets away from wild animals and do not let pets roam unsupervised.
If anyone has any information on this incident, Toronto Public Health is asking them to contact the agency at 416-338-7600 fby email at publichealth@toronto.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
Crypt near Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner could fetch US$400,000 at auction
A one-space mausoleum crypt in the vicinity of Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner will go on auction Saturday, when it is expected to reach between US$200,000 and $400,000.
This Toronto restaurant is no longer accepting tips. Here's how it's going
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff – tipping is no longer accepted.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Premiers not being truthful about carbon tax, Trudeau says while sparks fly in Ottawa
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Conservative premiers across the country are 'not telling the truth' when it comes to the carbon tax. Trudeau's comments came as fresh sparks were flying in Ottawa at a recalled House of Commons committee.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.
What new auto insurance reforms will mean for Ontarians, if they get introduced
Ontario has among the highest rates for auto insurance premiums in Canada -- just below Alberta and Nova Scotia -- however, the introduction of an insurance reform in the provincial budget could soon lower prices.