NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Health is working with the United States Department of Agriculture to help prevent rabies by distributing oral rabies vaccine for wild raccoons along Tennessee’s borders with Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia. The annual baiting program administered by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, will begin in Tennessee October 5, 2024.

Beginning on or about October 5, coated sachet baits containing the RABORAL V-RG® or ONRAB oral rabies vaccine (ORV) will be distributed across portions of Bledsoe, Bradley, Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamilton, Hawkins, Johnson, Marion, McMinn, Monroe, Polk, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties targeting raccoons and other wildlife. These baits will be distributed by low-flying airplanes and helicopter.

The aerial bait drop is expected to last for about three weeks. When ORV baits are distributed by aircraft, a navigator controls the bait machine and turns off the machine as necessary to avoid dropping baits on roadways, structures, large bodies of water, etc. The ORV baits to be aerially distributed over the majority of the bait zone are plastic packets of vaccine coated with an oily, fish-scented substance to attract raccoons. Each bait is marked with a toll-free number (1-877-722-6725) for people to call for assistance or information if they find or come in contact with a bait.

The oral rabies vaccine will be distributed on the following schedule:
Helicopter distribution (urban areas)
• October 6-9: Hamilton and Bradley counties
• October 9-11: Greene, Hawkins, Sullivan, Carter, Unicoi and Washington counties

Airplane distribution (rural areas)
• October 11-17: Bledsoe, Bradley, Hamilton, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, Polk, Rhea and Sequatchie counties
• October 5-11: Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington counties

Rabies, once disease develops, is almost always fatal. However, it is completely preventable if vaccine is provided prior to or soon after exposure.

This is the 24th year Tennessee has participated in baiting with rabies vaccine to slow and possibly halt the spread of raccoon rabies. There have been zero documented cases of raccoon variant rabies in Tennessee this year. Since raccoon rabies was first detected in Tennessee in 2003, the disease has not spread as rapidly here as has been documented in other areas of the United States.

Although the vaccine products are safe, the USDA Wildlife Services program has issued these precautions:
• If you or your pet finds a vaccine bait package, confine your pet and look for other baits in the area. Wear gloves or use a towel and toss baits into a wooded or fencerow area. These baits should be removed from where your pet could easily eat them. Eating the baits won’t harm your pet, but consuming several baits might upset your pet’s stomach.
• Do not try to remove an oral rabies vaccine packet from your pet’s mouth, as you could be bitten.
• Wear gloves or use a towel when you pick up bait. While there is no harm in touching undamaged baits, they have a strong fishmeal smell. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water if there is any chance the vaccine packet has been ruptured.
• Instruct children to leave baits alone.
• A warning label on each bait advises people not to touch the bait and contains the rabies information line telephone number.

For more information on rabies prevention or the oral rabies vaccine program, call the USDA Wildlife Services toll-free rabies line at 866-487-3297 or the Tennessee Department of Health at 615-741-7247. You may also find rabies information on the USDA website at www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/wildlifedamage/programs/nrmp/ct_rabies_vaccine_info
and TDH website at www.tn.gov/health/information-for-individuals/i/fact-sheets/rabies.html.

The Tennessee Department of Health urges people to enjoy wild animals such as raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats from a distance.