The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services has begun distributing oral rabies vaccine baits in Walker County. The effort starts today and will continue through next Tuesday.
The vaccine baits are part of a regional program aimed at preventing the spread of rabies among wild animals, particularly raccoons, which can pose a risk to both pets and humans.
Last year’s scheduled bait drop was postponed due to widespread damage and recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene in neighboring states. To make up for the delay, an additional round of baiting took place in April of this year, and the USDA is moving forward with its fall schedule this month.
The oral rabies vaccine is not harmful to people or pets, but officials advise against handling the baits if found. Anyone who comes into contact with the vaccine should wash their hands thoroughly and report the encounter to local health authorities.
The USDA reminds residents to keep pets indoors or supervised while the baiting is underway to ensure the vaccine reaches its intended wildlife targets.