Rabies Vaccination Of Raccoons Started In Ohio

State health officials have started oral rabies vaccinations (ORV) operations this month in 13 eastern Ohio counties. Actual baiting began Sunday, August 19 and will extend across 4,473 square miles of northeastern and eastern Ohio border. Bait distribution should be finished by Tuesday, August 28.

So far in 2018, three raccoons have tested positive for rabies. The animals were in Mahoning, Trumbull and Tuscarawas counties. Last year, six raccoons tested positive for the virus. Those animals were in Columbiana, Mahoning and Stark counties, the Ohio Department of Health said.

To prevent the spread of the disease, ODH will drop bait containing vaccinations across eastern Ohio counties.

Bait with the rabies vaccine will be spread to various counties using helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and vehicles staffed by USDA. Residents in eastern Ohio counties should keep children and pets away from bait dropped near them. Dogs, for instance, are attracted to the bait and will occasionally eat them. While the bait is not harmful to pets, it is used to stem rabies in raccoons.

Most of the bait will be gone within 24 hours, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) said. Still, pets should be kept indoors for five days if bait distribution is spotted.

So, what does the bait look like? Here's what the ODH said:

• Bait dropped from aircraft is about the size of a ketchup packet. It is white in color, but will be rolled in a brown fishmeal glaze.
• Bait distributed by USDA staff will be hard, brown and fishmeal block, ODH said. It is about 2 inches by 2 inches, with the sachet inside the block.
• Finally, some bait distributed by fixed-wing aircraft in rural areas will be 1 by 2 inches with a dark green and sweet smelling waxy coating.

If residents come across bait, they should only handle it with gloves. Residents can also throw the bait deeper into a wooded area, if spotted.

Finally, residents should avoid contact with animals they don't know and should get their pets vaccinated against rabies. If a resident is bitten by a wild animal, they should contact their doctor immediately. If a pet is bitten by a wild animal, resident's should contact their veterinarian immediately.

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