Wildlife Services is dropping vaccine-bait in forests to protect wild animals from disease
According to the Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office, two raccoons euthanized and tested last week were rabies-negative.
Sheriff’s deputies have responded to 11 reports of raccoons behaving in a suspicious manner recently, and they have been sent to the Toe River Health District for testing.
If the suspicious racoons continue testing negative, the Sheriff’s Office will eventually begin only testing those that have come into contact with humans or domestic animals.
Annual wild-animal vaccine
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services has begun its annual effort to inoculate wild animals against rabies using bait laced with oral vaccines.
According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services this is a joint effort between NCDHHS and USDA. Usually, the oral vaccines are distributed in the fall, but this year distribution was delayed owing to the disruption of Hurricane Helene.
“Rabies is a deadly but preventable disease, and this program plays a critical role in protecting both public health and animal populations across North Carolina,” said Carl Williams, state public health veterinarian. “By vaccinating wildlife like raccoons, we create a barrier that helps stop the
spread of the virus — keeping people, pets and communities safer.”
Aerial vaccine-bait distribution is taking place in Mitchell as well as the following counties: Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga and Yancey.
People hiking in the relevant forests may come across plastic packets containing the liquid vaccine. The packets are coated with fishmeal to make them attractive to raccoons.
Avoid contact with bait
According to the NCDHHS release, people who come into contact with the liquid vaccine should wash the affected area with soap and water and call the number listed on the packet for further instructions.
The oral rabies vaccine should not be harmful to domestic cats or dogs. However, it is only approved for use in raccoons and coyotes. Rabies vaccines for pets should be administered by a veterinarian.
In North Carolina, all domestic pets must be vaccinated against rabies by age four months, and they must receive routine booster shots afterward.
Reporting bites and risk
Anyone who is bitten by a wild animal, or who owns a domestic animal that has been bitten by a wild animal, should seek medical attention, according to NCDHHS.
Sick or dead wild animals can be reported to the North Carolina Wildlife Helpline at (866) 318-2401, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. After hours reports can go to HWI@ncwildlife.org.
Future plans
The USDA began the Oral Rabies Vaccination program in the 1990s in order to prevent the spread of raccoon rabies west of the Appalachian Mountains. The department hopes to eventually eliminate raccoon rabies altogether.