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Rabies baits to be air-dropped over Northwest Georgia, tri-state area this month

USDA wildlife biologist Erin Patrick holds fish-flavored packets of rabies vaccine before their distribution by helicopter Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013, at Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport's Lovell Field in Chattanooga, Tenn. The vaccine is administered when animals bite into the baited packets. The USDA is spending several days dropping bait-coated packets of rabies vaccine from a helicopter across Hamilton and Bradley Counties to combat rabies in raccoons.
USDA wildlife biologist Erin Patrick holds fish-flavored packets of rabies vaccine before their distribution by helicopter Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013, at Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport's Lovell Field in Chattanooga, Tenn. The vaccine is administered when animals bite into the baited packets. The USDA is spending several days dropping bait-coated packets of rabies vaccine from a helicopter across Hamilton and Bradley Counties to combat rabies in raccoons.

By Compiled by Alex Chambliss 2 min read

photo A map of the area to be targeted with rabies bait. / Photo provided by Whitfield County government

Helicopters and airplanes will begin dropping baits next month intended to immunize wild raccoons against rabies and stop the spread of the disease across Northwest Georgia, according to a news release.

Mitch Talley, Whitfield County communications director, said about 88,000 bait packets will be dropped from aircraft in residential and urban areas beginning Oct. 3. Another 88,000 baits will be dropped in rural areas beginning Oct. 14, with completion of the operation expected the next week.

Target areas include all of Catoosa and Dade counties, large parts of Walker, Whitfield and Chattooga counties, and a small portion of Murray County, the release states. The effort will take place simultaneously in Tennessee and Alabama.

Officials said the vaccine used cannot cause rabies and is safe for more than 60 different species, including dogs and cats. Developing an effective barrier against rabies spread usually takes several years of bait distributions, monitoring and surveillance.

When an animal bites into a bait, the sachet inside ruptures, allowing the animal to swallow the vaccine. Animals that swallow enough of it develop immunity to rabies.