Video of contact with possibly rabid skunk in B.C. prompts health authority warning

VANCOUVER — Vancouver Coastal Health is warning anyone in the city’s downtown who has had contact with a possibly rabid skunk to get a medical assessment immediately after a video emerged on social media.

The video posted on Facebook on Oct. 10 shows a skunk struggling to cross a Vancouver street, attracting a number of bystanders before a man picked up the animal using a sweater and moved it onto the sidewalk.

On Wednesday, Vancouver Coastal Health reported a skunk captured in the city’s downtown has tested positive for rabies, but it is unclear if it’s the same animal shown in the Facebook video.

The health authority said a small number of people were bitten by the skunk and have been assessed, as well as receiving rabies vaccinations and immunoglobulin as a precaution.

It also said that it is aware of videos capturing other exposures, and anyone in the West End and Stanley Park areas who have had contact with a skunk between Sept. 22 and Oct. 17 should contact Vancouver Coastal Health immediately.

Critter Care Wildlife Society in Langley, B.C., said in statement on social media that the skunk that had tested positive for rabies in Vancouver had been brought into their care.

“While this sounds alarming, we want to reassure our community: this is extremely rare, and everything has been safely handled by our trained staff following strict protocols,” the statement said. “Public safety has not been compromised, and our facility remains secure.”

The rabies virus is found in the saliva of infected animals and can be transmitted through bites or scratches, and an infection affects the brain and nervous system leading to possible death.

Vancouver Coastal Health said the virus is not transmitted through other types of exposures such as the spray, urine or feces of an infected skunk.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.

The Canadian Press