ADDISON COUNTY — The annual Rabies Bait Drop, a cooperative effort between Vermont and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services to stop the spread of the rabies, started on Aug. 8. The approximately week-long bait drop is part of a nationally coordinated effort to halt the fatal disease. Rabies vaccine, in the form of a sweet-smelling oral bait that is attractive to raccoons and skunks, will be dropped across rural Addison County areas by low-flying aircraft and placed by hand in residential centers.
Health officials said the bait packs are not poisonous, but they ask that anyone who finds rabies vaccine bait to leave it undisturbed so that it can be eaten by the wild animals. If the bait must be moved, use gloves or a plastic bag in case the blister pack is damaged. If your pet eats a bait, or if a child brings one home, let officials know by calling the Vermont Rabies Hotline at 1-800-4-RABIES (1-800-472-2437) or call the toll-free number printed on the bait.