Aircraft dropped rabies vaccines will begin peppering parts of Eastern and Southern Ontario in August, as the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry continues their efforts to control the virus.
In a news release, the province noted that the drops will be targeted to rural and forested areas in Stratford, Hamilton, and the Niagara Peninsula. Ground crews will be working “through the summer and into the late fall to hand-drop baits in urban areas and cities throughout the raccoon rabies control zone, which includes Hamilton, Burlington, Brantford, Toronto, Kitchener and Niagara Falls.”
Rabies in Hamilton: a time for caution, but not fear
The baits are flavoured and meant to immunize skunks, foxes, and raccoons who eat them. While the province states that the baits aren’t harmful to people or pets, they do recommend “contacting a doctor or veterinarian as a precaution.”
The baits being dropped are relatively small, and khaki green, with an information number stamped on them, as seen in the picture above.
To learn more about rabies in Ontario, as well as getting more information on the locations of drops as well as the schedule, please click here.
The Fur-Bearers are pleased to see the government continuing their use of a scientifically-based, humane solution to disease management, and recommend that all pet owners talk to their veterinarians about vaccination, too.
Photo provided by Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
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