Second Rabid Raccoon in Three Weeks Puts Westlake Village on Alert

Second Rabid Raccoon in Three Weeks Puts Westlake Village on Alert

A second sick raccoon, steps from the first

Los Angeles County health officials announced Friday that a second raccoon has tested positive for rabies, weeks after the county recorded its first rabid raccoon in more than 50 years. Like the first animal, the second was found in the backyard of a Westlake Village home, close to where the earlier case was reported, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said.

Sick, aggressive, and found near a worksite

The newly found raccoon appeared sick and was acting aggressively, officials said. Two people at a nearby worksite may have been exposed and are receiving follow-up care, including the recommended emergency post-exposure rabies treatment. No pets were reported exposed to the second raccoon. By contrast, the first raccoon, detected in September and announced earlier this month in another backyard in the same area, appeared ill but was not aggressive toward people; that case involved possible exposure of four people and a dog.

Health officer: do not touch wild animals

"The detection of rabies in another raccoon is an important reminder to never touch, handle, or feed any wild animals, even when they appear unhealthy," county health officer Muntu Davis said in a statement. Public Health urged anyone bitten by a wild mammal such as a raccoon, skunk, opossum, or coyote to seek medical advice immediately and report the bite to Public Health. Pet owners whose animals are bitten should get veterinary care at once and notify local animal control and Public Health.

First animal carried a bat variant; second still in testing

Laboratory testing confirmed that the first raccoon carried a rabies variant typically found in bats. Testing to identify the variant in the second raccoon is still underway and can take several weeks. Officials believe both raccoons were most likely infected by a bat. The history matters: the last confirmed rabid raccoon in the county was recorded in 1973, when a skunk strain of rabies was still circulating; that strain has not been detected in the county since 1979. The most recent non-bat animal case before this month was a skunk infected with the bat variant in Long Beach in 2014.

A record bat season forms the backdrop

So far this year, a record-breaking 77 rabid bats have been confirmed in Los Angeles County, surpassing the previous annual record of 69 set in 2025. Officials note that detections have trended upward for more than a decade, that peak season typically falls in late summer, and that rabid bats can be found year-round. Bats remain the reservoir species for rabies virus in the county. Rabies spreads through saliva or nervous-system tissue, usually via bites or scratches, and is almost always fatal once symptoms such as fever, confusion, agitation, and difficulty swallowing appear, though it is preventable with prompt post-exposure treatment.

Vaccinate pets and report bites promptly

Officials recommend that all pets, including indoor-only cats and older animals, stay current on rabies vaccination. Residents who encounter an animal that looks sick, injured, or unusually behaving should keep their distance and report it rather than approach. Anyone with a possible exposure should not wait for symptoms: post-exposure treatment works when given promptly. The county said variant testing on the second raccoon continues.