Aggressive Raccoon Triggers Rabies Alarm

Sheriff patrol car parked on city street — Photo: Elliott Cowand Jr / Shutterstock

A second raccoon in the same Los Angeles County neighborhood has tested positive for rabies, and county health officials say two people at a nearby worksite may have been exposed.

Quick Take

Los Angeles County confirmed a second rabid raccoon in Westlake Village, found near where the first case turned up.
The raccoon “appeared sick and aggressive” before it was found, matching classic rabies warning signs.
Two people at a worksite may have been exposed and are now getting recommended rabies shots.
Lab testing to identify the exact rabies strain in this second raccoon is still pending.
The first raccoon case, confirmed just weeks earlier, was the county’s first rabid raccoon since 1973.

Second Raccoon Confirmed Near First Case Site

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced on October 23 that a second raccoon tested positive for rabies in Westlake Village. The animal turned up in a backyard close to where the first raccoon was reported just weeks before. That proximity gave health officials a clear reason to issue a new public warning rather than treat the case as unrelated.

Officials said the raccoon “appeared sick and aggressive” before it was discovered, a detail that matches classic rabies symptoms in wild animals. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis urged residents to “always keep a safe distance from wildlife” and to call local animal control if they spot an animal acting sick, injured, or strangely. He also reminded pet owners to keep vaccinations current.

Two People Receiving Preventive Treatment

County health officials confirmed that two people at a worksite near the raccoon’s location may have been exposed. Both are now getting rabies post-exposure treatment as a precaution. The county has not described exactly how the contact happened, whether through a bite, a scratch, or simply being near the animal. Officials separately stated that no residents or pets were exposed, a distinction that appears tied to the worksite setting rather than nearby homes.

First Case Was County’s Earliest Since 1973

The first raccoon case carries added weight because it marked Los Angeles County’s first confirmed rabid raccoon since 1973. Lab testing on that animal found a rabies variant typically linked to bats, according to an earlier county animal health advisory from the California Department of Public Health. Strain testing on the second raccoon has not finished, so officials cannot yet say whether both cases share the same source.

That open question matters because raccoon rabies and bat-variant rabies can spread differently. Confirming the strain will help investigators figure out if this is a single contained event or a sign of wider spread among local wildlife. Until results come back, the county is treating both cases as reasons for public caution rather than confirmed links.

Rabies Remains Rare in People Nationwide

Human rabies deaths stay extremely rare in the United States thanks to vaccination programs and fast medical treatment after exposure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports about 4,000 animal rabies cases nationwide each year, with more than 90% involving wildlife like raccoons, bats, skunks, and foxes. Despite roughly 100,000 Americans receiving preventive treatment annually, fewer than 10 people die from rabies each year in the country.

In California specifically, rabies in raccoons is historically uncommon. State records show only four rabid raccoons were reported statewide between 1998 and 2017. That rarity is part of why Los Angeles County’s recent cases, back-to-back in the same area, drew quick public health attention and a formal warning rather than a routine notice.

What Residents Should Watch For

County officials are asking anyone who sees a wild animal acting sick, aggressive, or unusually bold to avoid contact and call animal control right away. Pet owners are urged to confirm their animals’ rabies vaccinations are current, since pets can serve as a bridge between wildlife and human exposure. The county has not yet released the completed strain analysis for the second raccoon, which will help clarify whether the two Westlake Village cases are connected.

Two people are receiving emergency preventive rabies treatment after exposure to a raccoon at a Westlake Village worksite. It is Los Angeles County’s second confirmed rabid raccoon since 1973. No pets were exposed in this incident.

The sick, aggressive animal was found in a… pic.twitter.com/JdIyBu4o7I

— HeyDay News (@heyday_news) October 24, 2026

For now, the practical guidance stays simple: keep distance from wild animals, vaccinate pets, and report unusual animal behavior quickly. Those steps remain the same whether or not the two raccoon cases turn out to share a common source once lab results are final.