City staff are warning people to keep themselves and their pets away from raccoons, as a distemper outbreak appears to be circulating around Toronto.
With their masked eyes and leather-like hands, racoons are usually very clever. Lately, however, you may notice some of the furry critters looking a bit disoriented, or “intoxicated, wandering around aimlessly,” according to Toronto Animal Services.
The agency says the number of service calls for sick and injured raccoons between January and April increased from 719 in 2022 to just over 3,600 this year.
“With it being warmer, there are more animals that are out, and they are continuing to congregate and come into contact with each other, which further causes the virus to keep spreading,” TAS manager Jasmine Herzog-Evans said.
The virus is lethal for raccoons and may cause them to approach humans or become aggressive.
The city says many end up as roadkill due to their apparent mental fog. According to Toronto Animal Services, there were 2,090 service requests for cadaver pickups between March and April this year, an increase of more than 600 from that time last year.
While experts say it can’t spread to humans, distemper is transmittable to other animals, including your furry friends.
“The reality is if they find a dead carcass, they aren’t going to leave it alone; they’re going to be all over it. You don’t want a situation like that,” environmentalist and bioethicist Kerry Bowman said.
The city is advising residents to keep their pets on a leash and avoid touching or feeding raccoons. They add that residents can call 311 to report sick, injured or dead animals.
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