An oral rabies vaccine being distributed in Signal Mountain to prevent the spread of the disease in wild raccoons, coyotes and foxes.An oral rabies vaccine for wild raccoons, coyotes and foxes is currently being distributed in Signal Mountain and is set to be complete by Oct. 22, according to an email sent by the town. The vaccine is part of a combined effort of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services Program and the Tennessee Department of Health to protect people and pets from the threat of rabies in the area, it said.
The oral rabies vaccine bait, which will be distributed by plane and helicopter, is about the size of a matchbox and covered in fishmeal flavoring to attract the animals, said the email.
In July, the Signal Mountain Police Department had issued a warning to citizens that it had received multiple reports of potentially rabid raccoons (read the full story here). However, Signal Mountain Police Chief Boyd Veal said he is not aware of any raccoons found on the mountain that have been identified as rabid.
“This is a program that’s been done in the past,” he said of the vaccine distribution, which is occurring in several Tennessee counties, including Hamilton. “It’s not specifically in response to issues we’ve had; it’s more widespread than that.”
Veal recommends that citizens who spot a suspicious raccoon contact the Signal Mountain Police Department, which has the ability to preserve and transport potentially rabid animals for testing.
According to the email from the town, if you spot the oral vaccine bait, leave it alone; but if found in an area where it poses a threat to children or pets who may ingest it, pick it up using gloves or a paper towel and throw into a wooded area.