Rabies bait drops are taking place in Chautauqua County August 18th through 20th in an effort to halt the spread of raccoon rabies. This is part of a nationally coordinated effort to halt the spread of raccoon rabies in 16 states.
The Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services said aerial and hand distribution of the baits will take place in Western New York counties until August 24th. The baits will be dropped in the northern area of Chautauqua County by a low flying airplane. This includes an area from the Village of Brocton, and Towns of Portland, Arkwright, and Villenova. The area extends north into parts of Erie and Cattaraugus counties.
Humans and pets cannot get rabies from contact with the bait. However, people who encounter baits directly are asked to leave them undisturbed.
While the baits are not harmful to humans or pets, if human contact with bait occurs, immediately rinse the contact area with warm water and soap. If dogs contact the bait do not attempt to remove bait from your dog’s mouth, it will not harm the dog if ingested.
The Health Department encourages residents to be mindful of wildlife and to leave wild animals alone when they are encountered. There has been one incident this year of a rabid raccoon biting an individual and last year there were two separate incidents of rabid raccoon bites in Chautauqua County. These incidents resulted in the raccoons being killed and then tested for rabies.
If you have questions about the bait, call the USDA Rabies Hotline at 1-(888) 574-6656.
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