Rabies

Rabies is a viral disease that attacks the central nervous system of mammals, including humans. Once clinical signs appear, rabies is almost always fatal in animals and people. In Canada, the animals that most often transmit rabies are bats, skunks, raccoons and foxes.

In Canada, rabies is a reportable disease under the Health of Animals Act, and all suspect cases must be reported to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

• World Rabies Day

Additional information

• Notice to industry: New measure prohibiting the entry of commercial dogs from countries at high-risk for dog rabies
  2022-06-28
• Countries at high-risk for dog rabies
• Fact sheet
• Rabies cases in Canada
• Reference material
  • Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control, 2016 National Association of State Public Health Veterinarian, Inc. (NASPHV)
  • World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH; founded as Office International des Épizooties (OIE)), Terrestrial Animals Health Code: Rabies
  • WHO, expert consultation on rabies, third report, 2018
  • Rabies program adjustments