County-Wide Raccoon Vaccination Effort Begins Aug. 15

Allegheny County will begin distributing raccoon bait containing rabies vaccines throughout the area on Aug. 15. 

Employees with the Allegheny County Health Department will be seen distributing the bait by hand, on foot and from vehicles in all of the county's municipalities.

Two types of bait will be used: one in which a vaccine contained in a plastic sachet is enclosed in fish-meal pellets and a second in which the plastic sachet is coated with fish-oil scent. The vaccine, when consumed by the raccoons, helps them to develop antibodies to the rabies virus. 

The baits pose no threat to humans or pets, according to the health department. 

Rabies is a viral infection that can affect the nervous system of any mammal, including humans. It is nearly always fatal. 

Aerial baiting drops may include parts of rural Allegheny County and are scheduled to begin on Sept. 5. 

The Oral Rabies Vaccination Project is conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the Erie County Department of Health, the Allegheny County Department of Health, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services.

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