• Tell your children about the raccoon vaccination program and tell them to leave
any baits alone.
• Do not attempt to take a bait away from your pet! That is the same as taking
food away from an animal. You may be bitten.
• Baits may be picked up while wearing gloves, or with a plastic bag or towel.
• Do not handle a partially eaten or damaged bait with bare hands.
• Damaged baits should be placed in a baggie and disposed of in normal trash.
• If you touch the bait or the liquid vaccine (a red fluid inside the bait), thoroughly
wash your hands or exposed skin with soap and water
• Call the Ohio Department of Health, Rabies Information Line (1-888-722-4371) to
report any incidents or to answer questions.
What does the bait look like?
The oral rabies vaccine bait comes in two ways. The traditional bait
is a brown square block made of fishmeal. The vaccine is inside a plastic
packet inside the middle of the block. Another formulation is the coated sachet.
It is just the plastic packet containing the vaccine that is coated in fishmeal
and oil. Fishmeal is known to be very attractive to raccoons. The block is always
used for ground baiting, and either can be used for aerial baiting.
Rabies: Six ways to protect yourself
and your family
• Do not feed, touch or adopt wild animals, and
be cautious of stray dogs and cats. Rabid
animals do not always appear vicious!
• Teach children to leave wildlife alone. Be sure
your child knows to tell you if an animal bites or
scratches them.
• Have your veterinarian vaccinate your dogs, cats
or ferrets against rabies. Keep their vaccinations
up-to-date.
• Tightly close garbage cans. Open trash attracts
wild or stray animals to your home or yard.
• Feed your pets indoors; never leave pet food
outside as this attracts wildlife.
• Call your doctor for advice if an animal bites
you. Report the incident to your local health
department.
The Oral Rabies Vaccination Project is conducted
by the Ohio Department of Health in cooperation
with the Ohio Departments of Natural Resources
and Agriculture, your local health departments, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife
Services (USDA/APHIS/WS).
Rabies Information Line
1-888-722-4371
Ohio Department of Health
To protect and improve the health of all Ohioans
Bob Taft, Governor
Raccoons and Rabies
Why are there concerns about raccoons and rabies?
Rabies is a viral infection that affects the nervous system of mammals, including
humans. The disease is almost always fatal to both people and animals. Raccoon
rabies spreads rapidly and infects large numbers of raccoons. The disease often
spreads to other wildlife and pets, making human exposure a
real concern. To address this problem, the Ohio Department of Health, with
assistance and support from the Ohio Departments of Agriculture and Natural
Resources, and federal and local partners, initiated a program
to vaccinate wild raccoons along the Pennsylvania and West Virginia border to
keep this epidemic from spreading throughout the state. This vaccination program
protects everyone, not only the people in northeast Ohio.
How is a raccoon vaccinated?
A raccoon is vaccinated by eating a bait containing the vaccine. The raccoon will
develop antibodies in two to three weeks. These antibodies will protect the raccoon
if it is exposed to another infected raccoon. If enough raccoons are vaccinated, the
disease will be stopped. Can the vaccine cause rabies? It is not possible to get
rabies from the vaccine. The vaccine contains only a single gene of the rabies
virus, not the entire virus.
What if my dog or cat eats a bait?
The bait is not harmful to pets or livestock if they find and eat one. Because
additional baits may have been dropped nearby, check the area for
more. Any other baits can be removed and placed where they are more likely to
be found by a raccoon, not your pet.
Is the bait or the vaccine harmful to people?
The bait is made of fishmeal, an ingredient in animal feed so it is not harmful to
touch an intact bait. However, the bait does have a strong odor,
so wearing gloves is recommended. The vaccine (red liquid)
inside the packet contains vaccinia virus. People with eczema and
immunosuppressed conditions, may be prone to a local infection from
vaccinia if the vaccine (red liquid) gets into a wound
or abrasion. Use soap and water to wash any skin area exposed to the
vaccine to prevent this. Please call the Ohio Department of Health,
Rabies Information Line
at 1-888-722-4371 for further advice.
What if I find a bait near my home?
Leave it alone if it is intact and in an area where pet or child contact is not likely.
However, if the bait is out in the open or where contact by pets
or children is possible, put on gloves and toss it into deeper cover.
If the bait is broken open or damaged, wear gloves or protect your hands by using
a paper towel or plastic bag before picking it up. However, a person should not
touch the bait if they are less than 18 years of age, pregnant, or
immunosuppressed.
Can this vaccine be used to vaccinate my dog or cat against rabies?
No, this vaccine is approved only for use in wildlife. A veterinarian, in accordance
with state and local regulations, should vaccinate your pets. Pet vaccination is
essential to protect your pet against rabies.
How can I help?
The bait is intended for wild animals— specifically, raccoons. Everyone can help by
keeping their pets inside or on leashes during the baiting time and about five days
afterwards. This will help to prevent your pet from getting the baits and it gives
raccoons a chance to eat the baits.
Important reminders:
• Be aware of what the bait looks like.
• Keep dogs and cats inside or on leashes for
several days after your area was baited.
Most baits will be gone in about 3 days.
any baits alone.
• Do not attempt to take a bait away from your pet! That is the same as taking
food away from an animal. You may be bitten.
• Baits may be picked up while wearing gloves, or with a plastic bag or towel.
• Do not handle a partially eaten or damaged bait with bare hands.
• Damaged baits should be placed in a baggie and disposed of in normal trash.
• If you touch the bait or the liquid vaccine (a red fluid inside the bait), thoroughly
wash your hands or exposed skin with soap and water
• Call the Ohio Department of Health, Rabies Information Line (1-888-722-4371) to
report any incidents or to answer questions.
What does the bait look like?
The oral rabies vaccine bait comes in two ways. The traditional bait
is a brown square block made of fishmeal. The vaccine is inside a plastic
packet inside the middle of the block. Another formulation is the coated sachet.
It is just the plastic packet containing the vaccine that is coated in fishmeal
and oil. Fishmeal is known to be very attractive to raccoons. The block is always
used for ground baiting, and either can be used for aerial baiting.
Rabies: Six ways to protect yourself
and your family
• Do not feed, touch or adopt wild animals, and
be cautious of stray dogs and cats. Rabid
animals do not always appear vicious!
• Teach children to leave wildlife alone. Be sure
your child knows to tell you if an animal bites or
scratches them.
• Have your veterinarian vaccinate your dogs, cats
or ferrets against rabies. Keep their vaccinations
up-to-date.
• Tightly close garbage cans. Open trash attracts
wild or stray animals to your home or yard.
• Feed your pets indoors; never leave pet food
outside as this attracts wildlife.
• Call your doctor for advice if an animal bites
you. Report the incident to your local health
department.
The Oral Rabies Vaccination Project is conducted
by the Ohio Department of Health in cooperation
with the Ohio Departments of Natural Resources
and Agriculture, your local health departments, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife
Services (USDA/APHIS/WS).
Rabies Information Line
1-888-722-4371
Ohio Department of Health
To protect and improve the health of all Ohioans
Bob Taft, Governor
Raccoons and Rabies
Why are there concerns about raccoons and rabies?
Rabies is a viral infection that affects the nervous system of mammals, including
humans. The disease is almost always fatal to both people and animals. Raccoon
rabies spreads rapidly and infects large numbers of raccoons. The disease often
spreads to other wildlife and pets, making human exposure a
real concern. To address this problem, the Ohio Department of Health, with
assistance and support from the Ohio Departments of Agriculture and Natural
Resources, and federal and local partners, initiated a program
to vaccinate wild raccoons along the Pennsylvania and West Virginia border to
keep this epidemic from spreading throughout the state. This vaccination program
protects everyone, not only the people in northeast Ohio.
How is a raccoon vaccinated?
A raccoon is vaccinated by eating a bait containing the vaccine. The raccoon will
develop antibodies in two to three weeks. These antibodies will protect the raccoon
if it is exposed to another infected raccoon. If enough raccoons are vaccinated, the
disease will be stopped. Can the vaccine cause rabies? It is not possible to get
rabies from the vaccine. The vaccine contains only a single gene of the rabies
virus, not the entire virus.
What if my dog or cat eats a bait?
The bait is not harmful to pets or livestock if they find and eat one. Because
additional baits may have been dropped nearby, check the area for
more. Any other baits can be removed and placed where they are more likely to
be found by a raccoon, not your pet.
Is the bait or the vaccine harmful to people?
The bait is made of fishmeal, an ingredient in animal feed so it is not harmful to
touch an intact bait. However, the bait does have a strong odor,
so wearing gloves is recommended. The vaccine (red liquid)
inside the packet contains vaccinia virus. People with eczema and
immunosuppressed conditions, may be prone to a local infection from
vaccinia if the vaccine (red liquid) gets into a wound
or abrasion. Use soap and water to wash any skin area exposed to the
vaccine to prevent this. Please call the Ohio Department of Health,
Rabies Information Line
at 1-888-722-4371 for further advice.
What if I find a bait near my home?
Leave it alone if it is intact and in an area where pet or child contact is not likely.
However, if the bait is out in the open or where contact by pets
or children is possible, put on gloves and toss it into deeper cover.
If the bait is broken open or damaged, wear gloves or protect your hands by using
a paper towel or plastic bag before picking it up. However, a person should not
touch the bait if they are less than 18 years of age, pregnant, or
immunosuppressed.
Can this vaccine be used to vaccinate my dog or cat against rabies?
No, this vaccine is approved only for use in wildlife. A veterinarian, in accordance
with state and local regulations, should vaccinate your pets. Pet vaccination is
essential to protect your pet against rabies.
How can I help?
The bait is intended for wild animals— specifically, raccoons. Everyone can help by
keeping their pets inside or on leashes during the baiting time and about five days
afterwards. This will help to prevent your pet from getting the baits and it gives
raccoons a chance to eat the baits.
Important reminders:
• Be aware of what the bait looks like.
• Keep dogs and cats inside or on leashes for
several days after your area was baited.
Most baits will be gone in about 3 days.
Raccoons and Rabies...
Questions and answers about oral rabies vaccine
Questions and answers about oral rabies vaccine