To respond to an outbreak of rabies in local wildlife, federal and state agencies plan a bait drop to distribute about 37,800 doses of oral rabies vaccine to wildlife throughout Chittenden County.
Rabies is a deadly viral disease of the brain that infects mammals and is spread primarily through an infected animal’s bite. In Vermont, the virus is most often seen in raccoons, skunks, foxes, bats and woodchucks, although pets and livestock also can contract the disease and can die if they have not been vaccinated for rabies. Without post-exposure treatment, rabies is fatal to humans.
Within the past year, officials say there has been a significant uptick in the number of rabies cases counted in Chittenden County. Since March 2022, 28 animals — including 19 raccoons, seven skunks and two bats — have tested positive for rabies in the area.
From May 11 to 19, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services plans to hand-place doses of an oral vaccine — a 2-inch-long wax-coated oral bait that is attractive to raccoons and skunks — around residential areas throughout the county.
In less populated areas — including Colchester, Malletts Bay, Starr Farm Beach and the New North End of Burlington, Milton, Brookside and Essex — residents may see low-flying helicopters distributing the oral bait packets from the air.
“This bait drop will help prevent further spread of rabies among wildlife, protecting people and domestic animals who may come into contact with them,” Natalie Kwit, state public health veterinarian at the Vermont Department of Health, said in a press release.
For years, annual bait drops have occurred in Vermont in August to help keep rabies under control. Because of the success of those efforts, Kwit said, wildlife officials typically expect to see only one or two rabid animals in Chittenden County per year, with cases occurring most commonly in bats.
“In the past, these numbers (of rabies cases) would have been more normal, but (in recent years) the annual bait drop has been effective in preventing rabies in the area where they’re vaccinating, so that includes Chittenden County and the greater Burlington area,” Kwit told VTDigger. “For several years, we have not been seeing any rabies in terrestrial mammals.”
Although the exact reason for the increase in rabies cases in Chittenden County is unknown, Kwit said she has some guesses.
“One potential reason is that it’s challenging to get a high proportion of raccoons and skunks in urban areas vaccinated to the level of efficacy to prevent rabies in the population,” Kwit said. “Because their populations are so dense, they’re hard to reach with the vaccine. … There are also other food sources, so those animals might not be wanting to eat the baited vaccines as much as they might in rural areas where food may be more scarce.”
“We don’t know with certainty, but we are looking into it,” Kwit said. “This could just also be part of a normal temporal change that we normally see in raccoon rabies.”
In October 2022, USDA Wildlife Services responded to the increase in cases by hand-vaccinating more than 700 raccoons, skunks and foxes before releasing them back into the wild. Now, officials hope the additional bait drop this month, alongside the regularly scheduled drop in August, will help to further curb the spread of the disease.
According to USDA Wildlife services, the oral bait packets are not poisonous or harmful to humans, pets or wildlife. However, it’s important to leave the packets undisturbed, officials said, so they can be eaten by wildlife as intended.
If packets must be moved, they should be handled with gloves or a plastic bag, according to USDA Wildlife officials. If a pet consumes a bait packet or if a child brings one home, Vermonters should call the Vermont Rabies Hotline at 800-4-RABIES or the toll-free number printed on the bait.
“Call the rabies hotline so they know about it and they will give you further instructions,” Kwit said. Even though bait packets are not toxic, Kwit said, a pet’s consumption of the bait may still require consultation with the pet’s veterinarian.
Vermonters should also call the rabies hotline if they observe a wild or stray animal acting strangely or are concerned about a rabies exposure. If a person is bitten by an animal, they should contact a health care provider immediately.
“I do want to remind people that there is rabies circulating in Vermont,” Kwit said, “We want people to take precautions to prevent it.”
State law requires that dogs and cats — including barn cats — be vaccinated for rabies. Keeping pets indoors, or supervised and leashed while outdoors, is another important way to prevent rabies exposure, Kwit said.
Kwit said another important thing Vermonters can do to prevent the spread of rabies is to leave wildlife alone — including baby animals.
“You can’t tell if an animal has rabies just by looking at it,” USDA Wildlife Service representatives said in a press release. “Interacting with young wildlife may result in them being orphaned or, if tested for rabies, requires humanely euthanizing the animal. So, for their own sake, leave wildlife in the wild.”
To learn more about rabies in Vermont, visit healthvermont.gov/rabies.