Rare rabid raccoon in WLV

Westlake Village residents are being urged to keep their distance from wildlife after a rabid raccoon was discovered in the First Neighborhood — the first confirmed case of rabies in a raccoon in Los Angeles County in more than half a century.

The raccoon encountered a dog on Sept. 17 in the backyard of a home on Bainbrook Court, The Acorn reported, citing a flyer distributed to neighbors by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The animal appeared sick, though officials said it did not act aggressively toward people. It was later confirmed to be rabid.

The finding is statistically striking: the last time a rabid raccoon was confirmed anywhere in L.A. County was 1973. It also comes during an unusually active year for rabies in the region, with health officials already warning the public about a sharp rise in rabid bats across Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

What Happened on Bainbrook Court

According to the county's flyer, the infected raccoon came into contact with a dog in a residential backyard on Bainbrook Court, a street in Westlake Village's First Neighborhood, on Sept. 17. The dog was current on its rabies vaccinations. As a precaution, it received a booster shot and was placed under quarantine, and The Acorn reported the animal is doing well.

Four people working at a nearby worksite were considered potentially exposed and received post-exposure prophylaxis — the series of preventive treatments given after possible contact with the rabies virus. Health officials stressed that anyone who may have had direct physical contact with a raccoon should see a doctor to be evaluated for preventive treatment.

That guidance matters because of how rabies works: the disease is almost universally fatal once symptoms begin, but it is preventable when treated promptly after exposure.

County officials believe the raccoon's infection is "likely a spillover of bat rabies," according to a public health official's email to the city cited by The Acorn. Testing is underway at the state laboratory to identify the specific rabies variant, and results are expected to take several weeks.

A Rare Event With Local Precedent

Rabies in raccoons is exceedingly uncommon in Los Angeles County. The last confirmed case predates the era when the skunk strain of rabies still circulated locally — a variant the health department says hasn't been detected in the county since 1979. Before this raccoon, the most recent non-bat animal found with rabies in the county was a skunk in Long Beach in 2014, infected with the bat strain.

First Neighborhood, the Westlake Village community where the raccoon was found, has already had a brush with the region's bat rabies surge this year. On Aug. 22, a rabies-positive bat was discovered on a sidewalk outside the First Neighborhood business center, according to The Acorn.

The broader context is prompting concern among health officials. So far in 2026, 70 rabies-positive bats have been found in Los Angeles County — more than in any previous year on record. Last month, health officials in L.A. and Ventura counties warned residents never to touch a bat and to report any found indoors, active during daytime, or appearing sick.

Rabies remains a major killer worldwide — tens of thousands of people die from it globally each year, according to health authorities. Human cases in the United States have become very rare since the dog strain was effectively eradicated domestically through widespread vaccination of pets, but other variants continue to circulate in wildlife and can infect any mammal.

What Officials Are Telling Residents

L.A. County Health Officer Muntu Davis issued a statement urging caution around wildlife in light of the detection.

"The detection of rabies in a raccoon is an important reminder to never touch, handle, or feed any wild animals, even when they appear healthy," Davis said. "Always keep a safe distance from wildlife and contact your local animal control if you encounter an animal that appears sick, injured, or is behaving unusually. It is also critical to ensure your pets are up to date on rabies vaccination so they are protected before any potential exposure."

For Westlake Village residents, the practical takeaway is straightforward: vaccinate pets, supervise them outdoors, avoid contact with raccoons, skunks, bats and other wild animals, and report animals that seem sick or behave strangely.

Who to Call

Residents in the Westlake Village area who find a sick or dead raccoon can request pickup and testing through the Agoura Animal Care Center at 818-991-0071.

For general questions about rabies and animal health, the L.A. County Veterinary Public Health Program can be reached at 213-288-7060.

Anyone who believes they had direct physical contact with the raccoon — or any wild animal — should contact a physician promptly, since post-exposure treatment is effective only when administered before symptoms appear. Pet owners unsure of their animals' vaccination status are encouraged to check with their veterinarian and update shots as needed.

As state lab results on the rabies variant are expected in the coming weeks, local officials will be watching whether this represents an isolated spillover from the county's surging bat rabies cases — or the beginning of broader circulation in local wildlife. For now, the advice from public health authorities is simple: enjoy Westlake Village's wildlife from a distance, and keep those pet vaccinations current.