Rabiesraccoon

On this page:

  • General Information
  • Animal Exposures
  • Animal Testing
  • Data & Surveillance
  • Important Telephone Numbers
  • Maine Departmental Rabies Responsibilities
  • Additional Resources

General Information

  • What is rabies?
    Rabies is a disease that is caused by a virus. It affects the brain and spinal cord and can cause death if left untreated. Rabies in people is very rare in the United States, but rabies in animals - especially wildlife - is common in most parts of the country including Maine. An animal with rabies is called a "rabid" animal.
  • How is rabies spread?
    The rabies virus lives in the saliva, brain and spinal cord (neural tissue) of infected animals. It is spread when a rabid animal bites or scratches a person or animal, or if a rabid animal's saliva or neural tissue comes in contact with a person or animal's mouth, nose or eyes, or enters a cut in the skin. Rabies is not spread by petting or touching dried saliva, blood, urine, or feces of a rabid animal.
  • What animals can carry rabies?
    In Maine, the most commonly infected animals are skunks, raccoons, bats, and foxes. Rabies can infect any animal that has hair, but is very rare among small rodents like squirrels, rats, mice, and chipmunks. Bat exposures are often difficult to detect, especially in the cases of a sleeping person awakening to a bat in the room or an adult witnessing a bat in a room with a previously unattended child, mentally disabled person, or intoxicated person.
  • What is a rabies exposure?
    A rabies exposure happens when the saliva or neural tissue of a rabid animal comes in contact with a person or animal through a bite or scratch, cut in the skin, or gets into the eyes, nose, or mouth.
  • How can I prevent exposure to rabies?
    Generally, you can avoid contact with wild animals. Also, make sure your dog or cat is up-to-date on rabies vaccination.

Animal Exposures

What to do if...

You have been exposed to a ...
  • Domestic animal (cat or dog)
    • Clean all wounds with soap and water for 10-15 minutes.
    • Call your local Animal Control Officer.
    • Call your Healthcare Provider.
    • The cat or dog will likely require a 10 day quarantine to rule out rabies.
  • Wild animal(raccoon, skunk, bat, fox, or other wild animal)
    • Clean all wounds with soap and water for 10-15 minutes.
    • Call your local Game Warden.
    • Call your Healthcare Provider
    • Rabies testing is needed on the wild animal to rule out rabies.
 Your Pet has been exposed to a…
  • Domestic animal (cat or dog)
    • Call your local Animal Control Officer
    • Call your Veterinarian
    • If fully vaccinated, the cat or dog will likely require a 45 day observation period to rule out rabies.
  • Wild animal (raccoon, skunk, bat, fox, or other wild animal)
    • Call your local Game Warden
    • Call your Veterinarian
    • Rabies testing is needed on the wild animal to rule out rabies

See also:

  • Maine Rabies Management Guidelines, 2017 (PDF)
  • Call Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention at 1-800-821-5821.

Animal Testing

  • Animal rabies testing is available free of charge when the suspected animal has had contact with domestic animals or people and the animal cannot be quarantined. Testing is performed at the Maine State Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory (HETL), located at 221 State Street in Augusta.
  • Please use the rabies submission form (Word) | also as PDF when sending an intact animal head for rabies testing.
  • For more information:
    • Guidelines for Submitting Specimens for Rabies Testing (Word) | also as PDF
    • HETL's Rabies website

Data and Surveillance

  • Rabies Surveillance Reports (PDF) 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020
  • HETL Rabies Data by Year

Important Phone Numbers

  • ME CDC Disease Reporting & Consultation (24/7)
    • 1-800-821-5821; TTY: 207-287-8016
  • Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory
    • 207-287-2727
  • Department of Agriculture (Livestock Exposures)
    • 207-287-3701
  • Local Animal Control Officer (Pet Exposures)
    • Contact your town office, city hall, or local law enforcement agency
  • Game Warden Service:
    • Augusta 1-800-452-4664
    • Bangor 1-800-432-7381
    • Houlton 1-800-924-2261
  • State Police:
    • Augusta 207-624-7076
    • Bangor 207-973-3700
    • Houlton 207-532-5400

Maine Departmental Rabies Responsibilities

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (Maine IF&W)

Maine IF&W provides education and outreach to prevent wildlife conflicts. It strives to maintain healthy wildlife populations through hunting and trapping. This includes those species at high risk for rabies, including raccoons, skunks, and foxes. When potential rabies exposures occur, Maine IF&W responds to protect people and to capture, relocate, and/or dispatch the wild animal. This ensures that proper handling and testing occurs. Maine IF&W will arrange to get the wild animal specimen to the laboratory.

Summary of roles in rabies response:

  • Works with public on wildlife conflict prevention and management strategies.
  • Uses hunting and trapping to keep populations of high-risk species healthy (especially raccoons, skunks, and foxes).
  • Responds to wildlife conflict and potential rabies exposures. The goal is to protect people, capture, relocate, and/or dispatch the wild animal, and ensure proper handling and testing.
  • Assists with transporting of wildlife to Maine CDC for testing when appropriate.

Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (Maine DACF)

DACF provides education about and enforcement of rabies control regulations for domestic animal species. DACF enforces laws requiring all dogs and cats, including indoor cats, be vaccinated against rabies. It also strongly encourages rabies vaccination of all domestic animals for which there is a vaccine. DACF also provides training to municipal Animal Control Officers, as these officers are generally the first line of defense in rabies prevention and control programs in Maine.

Summary of roles in rabies response:

  • Provides education about and enforcement of rabies control regulations for domestic animal species.
  • Recommends vaccination of all domestic animals for which there is a vaccine available. This includes indoor cats.
  • Provide training to municipal Animal Control Officers.  These officers are the first line of defense in rabies prevention and control programs in Maine.

United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service - Wildlife Services (USDA-APHIS-WS)

The USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services program in Maine follows the guidelines set by the National Rabies Management Program. The goal of this program is to prevent the further spread of rabies in the United States. To do so, this program uses an integrated approach that involves the use of oral rabies vaccination targeting wild animals. In Maine, USDA Wildlife Services is working to halt the spread of rabies along high risk corridors throughout the eastern U.S. and Canadian border before focusing efforts to eliminate rabies at the local level.

Summary of roles in rabies response:

  • Administers the National Rabies Management Program in Maine.
  • Works with Canadian partners to distribute oral rabies vaccine along border with New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario.
  • The Maine program primary rabies control goal focuses on limiting the spread of rabies along high risk spread corridors in the eastern U.S. and Canadian border. A phase two goal will focus on raccoon rabies elimination at the local and state level.

Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC)

Maine CDC provides rabies education to the public and partners. A consultation service is available 24/7 for partners and the public. Maine CDC coordinates animal testing with the Maine Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory, investigates positive cases, and provides guidance for post-exposure treatment.

Summary of roles in rabies response:

  • Provides public education about rabies exposure and prevention.
  • Provides 24/7 phone line for partners and the public.
  • Tests animals at the Maine Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory.
  • Investigates exposures and provides advice for post-exposure prevention.

Additional Resources