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
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.