WELLINGTON COUNTY – The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) is dropping rabies vaccine bait in targeted areas of the province, including Wellington County, from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4.
In forested and agricultural areas, the bait will be dropped by helicopter or other aircraft. Baiting will occur by hand in urban green spaces.
When a raccoon, fox or skunk bites into the bait and swallows the vaccine, it should develop immunity to rabies in about two weeks.
The khaki-green coloured bait is made of wax-fat with an attractant flavour (vanilla-sugar). Baits should not be moved unless they are near where children play.
Anyone who must move a bait packet is advised to place a plastic bag over their hand to keep their scent off the bait and move it to an area where wildlife might find it.
The vaccine is not harmful to people or pets, but anyone who ingests one, or has a pet who does, should contact a doctor or veterinarian as a precaution.
A press release from the province states over four million vaccine baits have been distributed in Ontario “since the start of the rabies outbreak in 2015, the first of its kind in over a decade.”
Locally, several animals have tested positive for rabies since 2017. These include two skunks in Elora and one in Mapleton, three bats in Guelph and one bat in the Belwood area.
Rabies is a virus that spreads through the saliva of infected mammals, such as through a bite that breaks the skin, or if the infected animal’s saliva gets into an open wound or mucous membrane. Once symptoms begin, rabies is fatal.
Anyone who sees an animal behaving strangely or aggressively, is advised to stay away and call the local animal control agency or the police. To avoid putting others at risk, ensure cats and dogs are vaccinated for rabies.
For more information about rabies in Ontario, visit Ontario.ca/rabies or contact MNRF’s rabies information line at 1-888-574-6656.
