Crews to distribute 300k rabies vaccine baits by hand and aircraft in Allegheny County

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Efforts to vaccinate raccoons in Allegheny County against rabies started Monday. 

Over the next five weeks, the Allegheny County Health Department and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services will distribute more than 300,000 pieces of bait across the county.

Crews will spread it by hand through Aug. 4, then it'll be dropped from aircraft, including helicopters, through Sept. 1. You might see low-flying, slow-moving aircraft pass over the same area multiple times, so don't be alarmed.

The bait looks like a small blister packet coated in fishmeal or other flavored coating. It attracts raccoons, but it might attract your pets too. It won't harm them, but the county's asking that you keep your cats and dogs inside or on a leash so they don't eat the bait before the raccoons do.

You should avoid touching the baits, but if you do, the health department said to wash your hands or any other exposed area of skin with soap and water. In the unlikely event a rash develops, call your health care provider. 

Rabies is almost always fatal to both people and animals. 

"Allegheny County plays a critical role in rabies management and prevention in the United States," Jamie Sokol, raccoon rabies baiting program coordinator, said in a news release. "Currently, raccoon rabies is primarily present in the eastern part of the country. Our efforts, as well as others, help stop the disease from spreading further into the interior of the country."  

More information can be found on the Allegheny County Health Department's website.