Oral Rabies Vaccination Campaign

In 1996, a new strain of rabies in wild raccoons was introduced into northeastern Ohio from Pennsylvania. To protect Ohioans and their domestic animals, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and other state and local agencies partnered with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services to implement a program to immunize wild raccoons for rabies using an oral rabies vaccine (ORV).

This effort created a barrier of immune animals that reduced animal cases and prevented the spread of raccoon rabies into the rest of Ohio. The vaccine-laden baits are dropped by fixed wing aircraft in rural areas and by low-flying helicopters and ground vehicles in urban and suburban neighborhoods.

If you have found a bait or have questions, call the Ohio Department of Health Rabies Information Line at (888) 574-6656.

Although placement is targeted to raccoon habitat, it is inevitable that some baits may end up in a yard or be found by a pet or person. Dogs, in particular, are attracted to them. Please refer to the information below if you or your pet finds a bait.

Where does baiting occur?

The 2024 fall operation will take place July 29^th to August 21^st, 2024 in 11 northeastern Ohio counties (including Ashtabula, Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Geauga, Harrison, Jefferson, Lake, Mahoning, Portage, and Trumbull). Approximately 350,000 baits will be distributed by ground and air. For updates and access to near real-time data for the national baiting operation, please visit the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s dashboard.

One type of bait will be used for the 2024 fall operation:

The ONRAB^® vaccine is enclosed in a 1" x 2" blister pack filled with the vaccine and covered with a sweet-smelling dark green waxy coating.

The baits contain a rabies vaccine that if consumed by a raccoon should vaccinate the animal against the rabies virus. ONRAB^® does not contain rabies virus but contains a gene from the rabies virus that causes raccoons and skunks that come in contact with the vaccine to produce antibodies that protect them against rabies infection.

Ohio is one of seven states using ONRAB^® for baiting operations in the U.S.

What if my pet eats the bait?

Ingesting the vaccine will not harm your pet, although eating a large number may temporarily cause vomiting or diarrhea. It is recommended to contact a veterinarian as a precaution if a pet has consumed the vaccine baits.

• Do not attempt to remove a bait from your pet's mouth - doing so may put you at risk of being bitten.
• Confine your pet for a couple of days and check the area for more baits. If you find a bait, leave it undisturbed where you found it, unless found in your lawn, driveway, or other area where your pet may find it. Baits can be moved, using gloves, to another location that is less accessible to people or pets where raccoons are more likely to find it. Most baits are gone within four days.
• Try to avoid your pet's saliva for 24 hours, and wash skin or wounds that may have been licked.
• Vaccination of your pets remains critical to prevent rabies. The oral rabies vaccine bait is intended for oral vaccination of wildlife only. Consult with a veterinarian about vaccination options for your pets.

What if I find a rabies bait?

Baits should be left undisturbed, but intact baits can be moved if they are found in your lawn, driveway, or other area where children and pets may find it. Damaged baits should be bagged and disposed in the trash.

• Wear gloves or use a paper towel when picking up the bait.
• Toss intact baits into a fence row, woodlot, ditch, or other raccoon habitat area.
• Wash your hands well with soap and water after any skin contact with damaged baits.

Contact with intact baits is not harmful. Persons who are immunocompromised or pregnant should contact a physician if the bait ruptures and vaccine gets into a mucous membrane or open wound. If a person is exposed to the vaccine (liquid) within the bait, thoroughly wash any areas of the exposed skin with soap and warm water.

How are the baits distributed?

Working with employees from cooperating agencies, USDA Wildlife Services distributes baits in urban area and suburban areas by vehicle or helicopter. In rural and open areas, the baits are distributed by aircraft.

Can I get rabies from contact with the vaccine?

No. The vaccines do not contain the live rabies virus but contains a gene from the rabies virus that causes raccoons and skunks that come in contact with the vaccine to produce antibodies that protect them against rabies infection.

How does a raccoon, skunk, fox, or coyote get vaccinated by eating the ORV bait?

The vaccine is contained inside a blister packet, which is made attractive to wildlife with a sweet attractant. When an animal bites into the bait, it punctures the blister pack and the vaccine bathes the oral cavity and tonsils, resulting in an oral vaccination against rabies. The animal's immune system is exposed to the part of the rabies virus that causes an immune response and production of antibodies against rabies, but the vaccine cannot cause rabies. The blueprint for making antibodies to neutralize the rabies virus is stored in the animal's immune system, allowing it to respond quickly if it is later exposed to a rabid animal.

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