USDA to begin rabies vaccine bait drops this week

Published 9:19 am Monday, September 26, 2016

Contributed Photo/USDA APHIS Wildlife Services Oral Rabies Vaccine baits will be distributed in the area beginning on Monday. At the top of the picture is what the bait looks like while covered with the fish meal attractant while the bottom bait shows the packaging without the fish meal.

Contributed Photo/USDA APHIS Wildlife Services
Oral Rabies Vaccine baits will be distributed in the area beginning on Monday. At the top of the picture is what the bait looks like while covered with the fish meal attractant while the bottom bait shows the packaging without the fish meal.

Beginning this week the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services will be distributing oral rabies vaccine (ORV) baits across Elizabethton, Carter County and the surrounding region.
“This is our 15th year in Tennessee to do the oral rabies vaccination drops,” said Erin Patrick, wildlife bioligist with the USDA APHIS Wildlife Services. “We’ve been doing drops in Carter County most of that time.”
On Monday, Sept. 26, the USDA will begin dropping the ORV baits around the City of Elizabethton by means of low-flying helicopters, Patrick said, adding drops will continue through Wednesday or Thursday depending on the weather conditions.
The following week, on Tuesday, Oct. 4, ORV bait drops will begin in Carter County by means of low-flying fixed wing planes. Patrick did not provide a time frame for when those drops could be completed.
In addition to Carter County, the USDA is conducting ORV bait drops in several portions of East Tennessee and Southcentral Tennessee, including Bradley, Cocke, Franklin, Greene, Grundy, Hamilton, Hawkins, Johnson, Lincoln, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, Moore, Polk, Sequatchie, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington Counties. Bait drops throughout the region will take place between Sept. 26 and Oct. 22 barring any severe weather that would prevent flights.
The purpose of the bait drops is to inoculate local small wildlife, specifically raccoons, against the raccoon variant of rabies in order to keep the disease from spreading.
“We’ve got a line from Maine to Alabama that we are maintaining,” Patrick said. “We’ve got basically a 20-mile wide barrier of immunity we’ve created. We want to keep that line moving west.”
By maintaining the line, Patrick said the hope is to create a population of animals that are vaccinated against rabies to keep the disease from spreading, by working to move the line further west they are expanding the immunity zone to protect even more animals an residents.
“We’ve not had a case of raccoon variant rabies in Carter County in several years,” Patrick said, adding the USDA is always looking for and investigating reports of possible cases. “If you see any sick or strange behaving animals we would like you to call us and report it.”
Among the more common indicators for a possible rabies infection are changes in animal behavior, Patrick said. Animals that appear to be very lethargic — such as laying around not moving or walking in circles — and animals that display unusual aggressive behavior — such as not fleeing or even advancing on people — could possibly be infected.
The ORV baits that will be dropped throughout the region are small white plastic packets that are coated in fishmeal crumbles. ORV baits should be left alone whenever possible. However, if the baits are found where children or pets play, they should be moved to another area, preferably while wearing gloves. Residents are advised to be sure to wash their hands or other skin areas that may have contacted the ORV bait thoroughly with soap and water.
“Just move them to a woodsy area or somewhere it looks like raccoons may like to live,” Patrick said.
ORV baits are not harmful to pets, although eating too many may cause vomiting or diarrhea. The USDA advises not to risk getting bit by trying to take a bait away from a pet but to instead confine the pet and check the area and remove any additional baits found. If a pet does eat a bait, the USDA advises to avoid your pet’s saliva for 24 hours and wash any skin that may have been licked.
For more information on the ORV bait drops or to report suspected cases of rabies, please contact the USDA office by calling 1-866-487-3297 or 865-588-0299.

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