Beginning October 9, 2020, the oral raccoon rabies vaccination program will be implemented across Dade, Catoosa Counties and parts of Chattooga, Walker, Whitfield and Murray Counties.
The Oral Rabies Vaccination (ORV) program is operated through the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). APHIS distributes Raboral V-RG annually using an ORV bait which is distributed across rural areas by airplane and in suburban or urban areas by helicopter, vehicle and bait station. Information from the USDA says ORV baits are coated with a fishmeal attractant and are packaged in two-inch plastic sachets or one-inch square cubes.
Photos of the vaccination baits can be seen at www.flickr.com/photos/usdagov/sets/72157623983143606/.
ORV is distributed to select areas of eastern United States to prevent the spread of raccoon rabies into America’s heartland.
If you have any questions, please call the Northwest Georgia Public Health at 1-706-295-6650.
(Pictured Above: Top – ORV Bait. Bottom – Raccoon taking bait from bait station.)
(Pictured Below: Bait Station. Pictures from USDA)
