Rabies vaccine bait distribution begins this week in western North Carolina, as federal and state agencies work to keep raccoon rabies from spreading westward.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says ground crews will distribute baits by vehicle inside Asheville city limits through October ninth. Helicopter drops are scheduled October ninth through the thirteenth in the greater Asheville area, Burnsville, Mars Hill and Waynesville.
From October fifteenth through the twenty-second, low-flying airplanes will distribute baits across rural areas of seventeen mountain counties, including Jackson, Haywood, Swain, Macon, Graham, Cherokee and Clay.
The scented baits attract raccoons, which receive the oral vaccine when they eat them. More than six hundred thousand baits are planned for North Carolina, with the schedule depending on weather and other conditions.
The USDA asks residents to leave any baits they find undisturbed. The agency says people and pets cannot get rabies from the baits, but anyone who comes into contact with one should immediately wash the affected area with warm water and soap.
Residents are also reminded to avoid feeding or handling wildlife and keep their pets’ rabies vaccinations current.
For more information, go to : https://www.aphis.usda.gov/national-wildlife-programs/rabies
