The Cape Cod and Southeastern Massachusetts Rabies Task Force is once again distributing baits laced with anti-rabies vaccine aimed at stopping the spread of the deadly disease to Cape Cod.
Using a helicopter, the Task Force is distributing the fishy-smelling baits over a wide area from Middleboro to Barnstable.
The baits are especially attractive to raccoons. As soon as they take a bite, vaccine is released and the animal is inoculated against rabies.
Brian Bjorklund, coordinator of the Cape Cod Rabies Program, described the baits.
"It's like a small ketchup packet and they are coated in a fish meal crumble that's very oily and rich. They are designed to attract raccoons primarily but other animals such as foxes and coyotes will be attracted to them and become vaccinated as well."
Bjorklund says domestic animals such as dogs and cats may also encounter a bait, and should they ingest it, they may experience some stomach upset, due to the richness of the attractant used in the bait. But generally the baits are not toxic to pets.
The Rabies Task Force says humans and pets cannot get rabies from contact with the baits. But, if they should come across one, they should leave them undisturbed where found. If contact with a rabies vaccine bait occurs, immediately rinse the area with warm water and soap and call 1-877-722-6725 to report its location.
The vaccine is being distributed in the same area that was baited in 2023 and earlier this year.
There has not been a case of raccoon rabies on Cape Cod since 2021, and that case was traced to an animal that was relocated to Barnstable County from Plymouth.
Bjorklund says the case shows how easily rabies can be spread.
"As we experienced in 2021, you can inadvertently move a disease or other virus to an area that has been free from that disease for quite some time.
Bjorklund stressed that relocating a wild animal is illegal in Massachusetts.
After the 2021 incident, more than 700 raccoons were captured alive, vaccinated against rabies, tagged and released at the site of capture.
Prior to that incident there had not been a case of raccoon-variant rabies on Cape Cod in more than eight years.
