Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Department of Health and the U.S. Department of Agriculture will airdrop oral rabies vaccine packets along Tennessee’s borders with Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia, beginning October 3rd, 2023.
“Rabies control keeps people, pets, and livestock safe,” State Epidemiologist John Dunn, DVM, PhD said. “Our partnership with USDA Wildlife Services in this project reduces rabies in wildlife and protects communities.”
The USDA’s Wildlife Services will distribute the bait packets from low-flying aircraft and helicopters over three weeks in Tennessee according to the following schedule:
Helicopter Distribution (urban areas)
- October 4th to October 9th: Hamilton and Bradley counties
- October 10th to October 12th: Greene, Hawkins, Sullivan, Carter, Unicoi, and Washington counties
Aircraft Distribution (rural areas)
- October 3rd to October 9th: Bledsoe, Bradley, Hamilton, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, Polk, Rhea, and Sequatchie counties
- October 9th to October 14th: Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties
- Each bait packet is marked with a toll-free number (1.877.722.6725) for assistance or information if someone finds or touches a bait packet.
Although the vaccine and the bait packets are safe, the USDA Wildlife Services has issued these precautions for people and pets:
- Remove bait packets from where your pet could easily find and eat them.
- If you find a bait packet, confine your pets and look for other bait in the area. Wear gloves or use a towel to toss the bait packet into a wooded or fencerow area.
- Do not try to remove a bait packet from your pet’s mouth, as you could be bitten.
- If eaten, one bait packet won’t harm your pet, but consuming several might upset your pet’s stomach.
- Bait packets have a strong, fish-like smell. There is no harm in touching undamaged bait packets; however, always wear gloves or a towel when picking up a bait packet.
- If the bait packet has ruptured, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
Instruct children to leave bait packets alone.
For more information on rabies prevention or the oral rabies vaccine program, call the USDA Wildlife Services toll-free rabies line at 1.866.487.3297 or call TDH at 1.615.741.7247. Rabies information is also available on the USDA website and on TDH’s websites.
