USDA Has New Raccoon Trapping Strategy For Cape Rabies Prevention

HYANNIS, MA — The United States Department of Agriculture implemented a new strategy for preventing the spread of rabies on Cape Cod, following a raccoon testing positive for the virus earlier this month.

The raccoon was the first non-bat to test positive for rabies on Cape Cod in eight years, officials with the Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment said after discovering the rabid raccoon on June 10.

Since then, the USDA started an emergency "trap-vaccinate-release campaign" on Cape Cod to get ahead of any potential rabies outbreak — and officials want your help. Officials with the Cape Cod and Southeast Massachusetts Rabies Task Force said they are seeking home and business owners to allow wildlife biologists on their properties to "live capture, vaccinate, tag and releases raccoons and other terrestrial rabies vectors."

Specifically, the task for is looking for property owners in Yarmouth, Brewster, Harwich and Chatham. The program started June 14 in Dennis and is ongoing there. Task force officials hope to be done with the rabies vaccination campaign by July 1.

Task force officials asked anyone interested in participating to email brian.bjorklund@usda.gov