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LISBON - According to the Columbiana County Health District, the Wildlife Services Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), will be distributing Oral Rabies Vaccine (ORV) baits beginning Monday, July 31 and continuing through Friday, Aug. 25. ORV baits will be distributed in Ohio counties including Columbiana. Target areas in the county include Lisbon and Jordanville.
Hand baiting will occur July 31 through Aug. 25. Helicopter baiting will occur Aug. 8 through 12. Fixed winged aircraft baiting will occur Aug. 18 through 22.
Anyone who finds an ORV bait should leave it alone, unless it is in a location where children or pets play. To safely move the bait in these instances wear gloves, or use a plastic bag or paper towel. Intact baits can be tossed into a wooded area or other wildlife habitat away from children and pets. Bag and dispose of any damaged baits in the trash. Wash any skin or wounds which may have come into contact with ORV bait with soap and water, especially if the bait is damaged.
If a pet is eating the bait, don't panic. Eating a few baits is not harmful - consumption by pets of a larger quantity may cause an upset stomach. Do not attempt to remove a bait from your pet's mouth, as doing so may result in being bitten. Check the surrounding area for more baits, and relocate them following the proper procedures. If a pet eats a bait, avoid their saliva for 24 hours to prevent contamination.
Rabies is a deadly virus that affects the central nervous system in mammals. It is almost always transmitted through the bite of an infected animal. Wildlife account for more than 90 percent of all reported rabies cases each year in the United States. Effective vaccines exist to protect people, pets, and wildlife from rabies, which is fatal if left untreated in almost all cases.
The Columbiana County Health District continues to take a proactive approach in the prevention of rabies in Columbiana County, hosting a rabies vaccine clinic for pets every year and acting as a drop-off location for rabies surveillance testing. County residents are encouraged to keep an eye out for the Health District's upcoming rabies clinic this fall.
For information on ORV or hand baiting, contact the Rabies Information Line at 614-752-7387. For information on the National Rabies Management Program, call 1-866-4USDA-WS. To contact the Columbiana County Health District for information about rabies or surveillance testing drop-offs, call 330-424-0272.