Rabies Bait Season!©

 

 

Racoon season...Rabies bait Season!

 

According to popular belief, rabies¹ occurs most often in the so-called “dogdays” of July and August.  While this isn’t true², it is true that summer is the peak season for rabid animal/human encounters, because warm weather and outdoor activities increase the chance of people encountering wild mammals, who just might be infected with rabies.

 

Each year during August, the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) and its partners in the National Rabies Management Program drop oral rabies vaccination (ORV) baits from the air using fixed wing aircraft and helicopters and by hand-dropping baits in urban areas.  The dropped ORV baits use a licensed vaccine developed for use by government programs whose goal is achieving large-scale eradication of rabies.

 

The ORV fishmeal baits attract raccoons, coyotes and foxes,³ looking for an easy snack.  They come in two forms, the square-shaped, hand-dropped bait is brown in color and looks like a fig bar and has a plastic vaccine packet inside.  The air-drop ORV packet looks like a ketchup package, covered with a fine, brown-colored layer of fish meal.  As the animals eat the bait pack, their teeth puncture the vaccine packet and the vaccine is absorbed into their mouth, triggering an immune response that will protect it from rabies.

 

So, what should you do if you come upon some ORV baits?

 

First, leave them alone, the baits are not harmful to humans or pets.  And remember the following:

ü Tell children to leave the baits alone.

ü Most packets are eaten within four days; almost all baits will be gone within a week. If packets are not found and eaten, they will dissolve, and the exposed vaccine will be rendered inactive.  So, keep your dogs and cats inside, or confine them, for at least a week after baits have been dropped in your area.

ü Dogs and cats are attracted to the baits and may eat them.  Eating of these baits by pets or livestock will not hurt them.  Pets dogs and cats may experience an upset stomach, however if several baits are eaten.

ü Baits dropped in places frequented by pets or children should be moved away from these areas into more wild areas using either gloves or a paper towel.

ü Damaged baits should be disposed of by being put in the trash using gloves or a paper towel.

ü If your skin does comes into contact with the vaccine, which is a red to purple liquid, wash the area with soap and water.

 

If you do spot an animal which is acting strange or threatening, call your local animal control service, the police or state Game Commission to report the incident.

 

I hope that you continue to enjoy The Woodsman’s Journal Online and look for me on YouTube at BandanaMan Productions for other related videos, HERE.  Don’t forget to follow me on both The Woodsman’s Journal Online, HERE, and subscribe to BandanaMan Productions on YouTube.  If you have questions, as always, feel free to leave a comment on either site.  I announce new articles on Facebook at Eric Reynolds, on Instagram at bandanamanaproductions, and on VK at Eric Reynolds, so watch for me.

 

That is all for now, and as always, until next time, Happy Trails!

 

 

Sources

 

 

Maki, Joanne, et. al.; “Oral vaccination of wildlife using a vaccinia–rabies-glycoprotein recombinant virus vaccine (RABORAL V-RG®): a global review”, Veterinary Research, Volume 48, Article number: 57, September 22, 2017, https://veterinaryresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13567-017-0459-9, accessed August 8, 2024

 

McDowell, Alisha; “Taking the Bait: USDA Safeguards Wildlife Against the Rabies Virus”, USDA/APHIS, September 25, 2023, https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2023/09/25/taking-bait-usda-safeguards-wildlife-against-rabies-virus, accessed August 8, 2024

 

Paige, Alexis; “Raccoon rabies vaccination baiting begins”, August 5, 2019, WTAE, [©2024, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WTAE-TV.], https://www.wtae.com/article/raccoon-rabies-vaccination-baiting-begins/28609267, accessed August 8, 2024

 

Staff; “Rabies Bait Will Be Dropped In The Local Area”, Wetzel Chronicle, August 25, 2010, [© Wetzel Chronicle], https://www.wetzelchronicle.com/news/2010/08/25/rabies-bait-will-be-dropped-in-the-local-area/, accessed August 8, 2024

 

Staff; “Rabid raccoon found in Saluda County; 1 pet exposed”, November 2, 2022, [A Gray Local Media Station © 2002-2024], https://www.wrdw.com/2022/11/02/rabid-raccoon-found-saluda-county-1-pet-exposed/, accessed August 8, 2024

 

USDA; “National Rabies Management Program Overview”, March 11, 2024, https://www.aphis.usda.gov/national-wildlife-programs/rabies, accessed August 8, 2024