'Keep a safe distance' from raccoons due to rabies, City of Toronto warns

After a series of rabies cases among raccoons in the Hamilton area, the City of Toronto is warning its residents to "keep a safe distance" from the animals.  

In a written statement released Wednesday afternoon, the city reminded Torontonians that "10 cases of rabies in raccoons have been confirmed in Hamilton, the first cases in Ontario since 2005."

The statement has this advice for residents:

• do not feed or touch wild or stray animals
• ensure that pets have up-to-date vaccinations
• keep pets on a leash at all times
• do not leave pets unattended, and
• prevent contact between pets and wild animals 

The statement said the raccoon population in Ontario is "also experiencing elevated incidents of distemper, a virus that can symptomatically mimic rabies." 

The city said distemper is not transmissible to humans but if "residents see animals that are in distress, they should contact 311."