A second rabid raccoon was found in Westlake Village, this one appearing “ill and aggressive,” according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. No residents or pets were exposed, and two people at a construction site who may have been exposed are receiving preventative care.
The animal was found Oct. 18 in a yard on Dunraven Court in the city’s First Ward, near where a previous rabid raccoon was reported Sept. 17. This raccoon, described as “acting abnormally” but not aggressive, was the first in Los Angeles County to test positive for rabies since 1973. A state laboratory confirmed it was infected with the bat strain of the virus. Testing to determine the variant involved in the second case is underway.
2026 was a banner year for rabid bats in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, with 77 and 32 detected so far, respectively. One such bat was found in the First Ward on Aug. 22, on a sidewalk outside the business center.
The disease kills tens of thousands of people worldwide each year, although cases of human rabies have been very rare in the United States since the canine strain was eradicated here through vaccination. The last locally acquired human case in Los Angeles County occurred in 1949, after a 24-year-old man was bitten by his rabid dog.
Other variants of the rabies virus continue to circulate in wildlife and can infect and cause disease in any mammal.
In a statement, Los Angeles County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said the second rabid raccoon “is an important reminder to never touch, handle or feed wild animals, even when they appear healthy.” He urged residents to keep their distance from wildlife, report sick or unusual animals to local animal control and make sure their pets are up to date on rabies vaccinations.
For pickup and testing of sick or dead raccoons in the area, residents can call the Agoura Animal Care Center at 818-991-0071. For more information, contact the LA County Veterinary Public Health Program at 213-288-7060.
Gn Health
