Tennessee officials will drop raccoon food laced with marshmallow-flavored rabies vaccine drops in an effort to stop the outbreak from spreading among the forest animals
The Department of Agriculture and Wildlife Services, along with the Tennessee Department of Health, are air-dropping rabies vaccines
The vaccines are packaged in fishmeal, but they are also testing a marshmallow-flavored vaccine
The oral vaccines are intended to stop the spread of the deadly virus in the wild raccoon community in the area
Dr. John Dunn, Tennessee’s State Epidemiologist, said “Controlling raccoon rabies keeps people, pets and livestock safe”
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A batch of rabies vaccines will be sent out to raccoons in the southeastern United States with a sugary twist.
The Department of Agriculture and Wildlife Services, along with the Tennessee Department of Health, is airing rabies vaccines to the animals wrapped in fishmeal while testing a marshmallow-flavored vaccine.
Low-flying helicopters will make the drops in the Volunteer State from Oct. 3 to Oct. 15, along with some of its border states, including Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia.
The oral vaccines are intended to stop the spread of the deadly virus in the wild raccoon community in the area, according to ABC 24.
Dr. John Dunn, Tennessee’s State Epidemiologist, said: ‘Controlling raccoon rabies keeps people, pets and livestock safe. We are pleased to partner with USDA Wildlife Services in this program to reduce rabies in wildlife and protect the community.’
A batch of rabies vaccines will be sent out to raccoons in the southeastern United States with a sugary twist
The Department of Agriculture and Wildlife Services, along with the Tennessee Department of Health, is airing rabies vaccines to the animals wrapped in fishmeal while testing a marshmallow-flavored vaccine.
The oral vaccines are intended to stop the spread of the deadly virus in the wild raccoon community in the area
Low-flying helicopters will make the drops in the Volunteer State from Oct. 3 to Oct. 15, along with some of its border states, including Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia
There will be USDA warnings on all vaccines in an effort to keep people, and especially children, away from them
The USDA is currently testing the experimental marshmallow-flavored vaccine and will be distributed in other parts of the Appalachians.
This particular vaccine, known as Onrab, has been tested for several years to determine the environmental impact and has been tested on raccoons in Ohio with success.
The USDA warns people that while the bait packets are safe, people should take precautions — removing from areas where pets might eat them, confining pets that find them — if they see them.
Although one won’t harm your pet if they eat them, experts say that several can upset its stomach and that pet owners should not try to take it out of their pet’s mouth to avoid potentially getting bitten.
There will be USDA warnings on all vaccines in an effort to keep people, and especially children, away from them.