×

Annual air drops of oral rabies vaccine baits to be conducted

RABIES PROGRAM — Beginning Thursday, area residents may see a small red helicopter flying close to the ground. It is part of the annual U.S. Department of Agriculture’s wildlife services rabies bait program. Packets of rabies bait will be dropped from the air to attempt to prevent the spread of raccoon rabies. A fixed-wing airplane will join the air drop program later in the week. Steubenville will be baited with pellets from a vehicle. -- Contributed

STEUBENVILLE — Annual air drops of oral rabies vaccine baits will be conducted Thursday through Aug. 24.

The bait drops are part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Wildlife Services program.

The baits are dropped in an attempt to prevent the spread of raccoon rabies to the west.

Frank Klinger of the Jefferson County Health Department previously was the wildlife rabies biologist in Ohio.

“I witnessed firsthand how much effort, time and money is spent in combating this deadly virus,” Klinger said. “Rabies is caused by a virus that infects the central nervous system in mammals.”

Signs of rabies include:

• An unusually aggressive or calm and friendly behavior.

• An inability to eat or drink.

• Balance problems, moving in a circle, seizures.

The disease leads eventually to coma and death.

The USDA reminds residents who see a wild animal to stay away and keep pets indoors. If bitten by any animal, wash the wound immediately with soap and running water, contact a physician or the local health department, get the name of the owner of a domestic animal or contact a professional to confine a wild animal. Wear gloves or use a shovel to put any animal carcass into a heavy plastic bag and put it in an area that is cold and away from people and other animals.

A raccoon that is active during the day is not necessarily sick, Klinger explained. A need for food, a disturbance, breeding and other factors could make the animal move during daytime.

Klinger emphasized that rabies almost always is fatal when symptoms appear, but it is preventable through vaccination. Pets should be vaccinated, especially in the Ohio Valley, which falls into the zone of active rabies management.

Beginning Thursday, residents may begin seeing a low-flying helicopter in their area, dropping baits. A fixed-wing aircraft is scheduled to drop baits beginning Monday, and ground baiting by vehicle will be conducted by the federal wildlife service during the week beginning Monday.

The city of Steubenville is the only location in Jefferson County that will be ground baited by vehicle.

Ground baits are a square fishmeal polymer, while a coated packet that resembles a ketchup packet will be what is air dropped.

Bait drops are tentative because crews cannot fly in inclement weather or heavy fog.

The USDA advises if residents find oral rabies vaccine baits, the pellets and packets should not be moved unless they are in an area where children or pets regularly play. If they must be moved, residents are advised to wear gloves or use a paper towel or plastic bag when picking up the baits.

Intact baits should be tossed into a wooded area or other raccoon habitat. Damaged baits should be bagged and disposed in the trash. Wash any skin or wounds that may have come into contact with the baits, especially those that were damaged, with soap and water.

If a pet eats a bait, there should be no problem, however eating a large number of them can cause an upset stomach. Avoid the pet’s saliva for 24 hours after the pet eats a bait and wash skin or wounds the pet may have licked.

For information, contact the federal wildlife service at (866) 487-3297. For local response to potential rabies cases, contact the Jefferson County Health Department at (740) 283-8530≥

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.73/week.

Subscribe Today