Allegheny County Health Department beginning annual program to prevent rabies in raccoons

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — The Allegheny County Health Department will begin a program that will help prevent rabies in raccoons.

The program begins Monday and lasts until Sept. 1.

Small bait packets that contain a liquid vaccine for rabies will be spread in every municipality in the county. The bait is coated in fishmeal or vanilla flavoring that attracts the animals.

More than 3,000 baits will be dropped. At first, it will be done by hand and then dropped from helicopters during the last four weeks.

“Allegheny County plays a critical role in rabies management and prevention in the United States,” explained Jamie Sokol, raccoon rabies baiting program coordinator. “Currently, raccoon rabies is primarily present in the eastern part of the country. Our efforts, as well as others, help stop the disease from spreading further into the interior of the country.”

The bait is usually eaten within five days of it being distributed.

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