The Tennessee Department of Health and the United States Department of Agriculture are partnering to prevent the spread of raccoon rabies by distributing oral rabies vaccine for raccoons across Tennessee’s borders with Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia.
Starting this week, USDA teams will distribute oral rabies vaccine baits by helicopter and airplane throughout portions of 18 Tennessee counties. During the baiting period, residents may see and hear low-flying aircraft. After baits are distributed, wild raccoons become vaccinated against rabies when they eat the rabies vaccine contained in the baits.
Baits will be distributed October 10 through October 15 in Bledsoe, Bradley, Hamilton, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, Polk, Rhea and Sequatchie counties
Although the vaccine products are safe, the USDA says you should wear gloves if you handle the baits and keep away from children and pets.
For more information on rabies prevention or the oral rabies vaccine program, call the USDA Wildlife Services toll-free rabies line at 1-866-487-3297 or the Tennessee Department of Health at 1-615-741-7247.