Choppers to drop rabies vaccines
Vanilla-scented bait might attract dogs too, but it likely won’t cause them harm
Rabies-vaccine showers are in the forecast for Toronto; the province will be trying to eliminate raccoon rabies by serving the animals vanillascented bait, distributed by helicopter.
The vaccines are also being spread by employees on foot. Beverly Stevenson, a science transfer specialist at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, said workers began distributing the bait last Monday.
“The vaccines are very effective,” said Stevenson, who added that there were half as many rabies cases in the first six months of this year compared to 2016, as a result of the vaccines distributed last year.
Toronto has not had any confirmed cases of rabid raccoons so far this year, but averages one or two infected bats annually.
Afight between two Hamilton dogs and an aggressive raccoon in the back of an animal control van in De- cember 2015 led to the discovery of the first documented case of rabies in a raccoon in a decade.
While most of the 90,000 rabies vaccines will be distributed by hand in Toronto, some will be released in August via helicopters flying over the city’s green spaces, including hydro corridors, ravines and parks.
The aerial drops will target forested areas. Everything from residential to industrial spaces, cemeteries, parks and golf courses will be sprinkled with the khaki green-coloured vaccine bait.
Authorities acknowledge people’s pets may catch sight, or sniff, the bait first. The sweet-scented bait will not likely attract outdoor cats, but could entice a curious dog, Stevenson said.
The bait is “not harmful to pets or people, but we do recommend they contact their veterinarian as a precaution,” Stevenson said. Dogs may experience an upset stomach or allergic reaction from the loonie-sized vaccines. No cases of this have been reported to the ministry so far.
About 250,000 to 275,000 vaccines will be scattered in surrounding cities such as St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Hamilton, which has the biggest concentration of rabies cases. Toronto is a low-risk area but still sits within a 50-kilometre radius of a confirmed rabies case. Because of this, the ministry is continuing to keep an eye out for sick wildlife or animals behaving strangely in the area. A total of 1.4 million vaccines will be distributed in eastern and southern Ontario by the end of the project in the fall.
When a targeted animal such as a raccoon, fox or skunks bites into the bait, it punctures an inner plastic container and releases the vaccine, which gets absorbed into its mouth. It takes about two weeks to be effective and immunize the animal.
Ground crews are working their way from east to west, starting from Brampton and Mississauga, and moving through Toronto towards Oakville and Burlington. The daylight distribution of the vaccine by hand will continue until late September.
The ministry is asking anyone who comes across a vaccine bait to use gloves or a plastic bag to move the bait so the scent does not rub off on them.