Rabies in Maine is fairly uncommon. As of Monday, state data showed only three reported cases this year: two affecting raccoons in Lincoln and York counties and one affecting livestock in York County. Earlier this month, Burnham town officials received notice of a case in a raccoon.

But you still may have questions if you see a notice in your town about a confirmed case. Or, you might have questions about what to do if you see an animal acting strangely, a sign many people associate with rabies but not enough on its own to indicate whether an animal has the disease.

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention offers several informational resources on its website. These are a few key facts to know:

WHAT IS RABIES?

Rabies is a disease caused by a virus that affects the brain and spinal cord, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. It is common in animals, especially wildlife, but very rare in humans in the United States.

The rabies virus lives in the saliva, brain and spinal cord of infected animals, the Maine CDC says. It commonly spreads through animal bites and scratches. It can also spread if an animal’s saliva or neural tissue contacts the mouth, nose or eyes of a person or animal, or if it enters a cut in the skin.

The virus does not spread by simply petting animals or touching dried bodily fluids of an infected animal.

HOW COMMON IS RABIES?

State data shows that in the last 10 years, the number of confirmed rabies cases in animals each year has ranged from 35 to 89. In 2025, there were 50, which was a decrease from the two years prior.

Skunks, raccoons, bats and foxes are the animals most commonly infected, the Maine CDC says. Rabies can infect any animal that has hair, but is very rare among small rodents like squirrels, rats, mice and chipmunks.

The Maine CDC offers data on its website, tracking cases by year, county, municipality and animal.

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF AN ANIMAL HAS RABIES

It is not possible to tell if an animal has rabies just by looking at it, according to a Maine CDC fact sheet. 

“Animals with rabies may seem shy, fearful, stumble or seem drunk, mean, lame, or very friendly,” the document states. “Animals with rabies usually act strangely once the virus gets to their brain, but signs may vary.”

WHAT ARE RABIES SYMPTOMS IN HUMANS, AND IS IT DANGEROUS?

Untreated, rabies is typically fatal in humans. But treatment for potential exposure is effective at preventing illness.

“Rabies is a medical urgency but not an emergency,” the Maine CDC says.

In humans, symptoms include fever, headache and fatigue, according to a Maine CDC fact sheet. 

Treatment for humans is called rabies post-exposure prophylaxis and includes several injections over multiple weeks.

Maine last reported a human rabies case in 1937, according to the Maine CDC.

WHAT STEPS CAN I TAKE TO AVOID EXPOSURE TO RABIES?

The Maine CDC recommends avoiding contact with wild animals and animals you do not know, including sick or injured animals, fastening trash can lids and keeping pet food inside to keep animals away and talking to an exterminator about “bat-proofing” your home.

For pets and livestock, the Maine CDC recommends keeping them up to date on rabies vaccinations — which the law requires for dogs and cats after a certain age, keeping them indoors, and spaying and neutering pets to reduce the stray population.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I THINK MY PET OR I WAS EXPOSED TO RABIES?

First, you should clean the wounds with soap and water, public health officials say.

Then, contact your doctor or a veterinarian. You can also call the Maine CDC disease reporting and consultation line, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 800-821-5821.

If the attacking animal is domestic, call your local animal control officer. If the attacking animal is wild, call the Maine Warden Service via its dispatch centers.

A game warden or animal control officer can assist with testing the animal at the state lab.