Bait drops

New York State will be doing aerial and hand distribution of baits until August 18 through the Village of Brocton, and the Towns of Portland, Arkwright, and Villenova.

The Environmental Health Unit of the Chautauqua County Department of Health & Human Services says humans and pets cannot get rabies from contact with the bait. However, people who encounter baits directly are asked to leave them undisturbed. Should contact with a bait occur, immediately rinse the contact area with warm water and soap. Please do not attempt to remove a bait from your dog’s mouth. The bait will not harm the dog.

The Health Department encourages residents to be mindful of wildlife and leave animals alone when they are encountered in the wild.

They added one in ten animals infected by the rabies virus will become aggressive and attack with no provocation. Other rabid animals may appear tame or docile, and well-meaning animal lovers may be tempted to catch and help the animals. People may hear orphaned animals crying for their mother and think they need to care for the animals. However, when people take wild or feral animals home they create a real danger for their family, particularly children. It is illegal and dangerous to relocate or harbor wild animals. An entire family may need to be treated for rabies exposure after an animal has been brought home. Health officials say if you have to handle a wild animal, such as a bat, to remove it from your home to wear thick, puncture resistant gloves and protective layers to prevent bites and scratches.

Rabies is a serious public health concern because if left untreated it is invariably fatal. Costs associated with detection, prevention and control of rabies conservatively exceed $500 million annually.

For more information, contact the Chautauqua County Environmental Health Unit at (716) 753-4481.

Rabies bait drops

The Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services said aerial and hand distribution of the baits will take place in Western New York counties until August 24th. The baits will be dropped in the northern area of Chautauqua County by a low flying airplane. This includes an area from the Village of Brocton, and Towns of Portland, Arkwright, and Villenova. The area extends north into parts of Erie and Cattaraugus counties.

Humans and pets cannot get rabies from contact with the bait. However, people who encounter baits directly are asked to leave them undisturbed.

While the baits are not harmful to humans or pets, if human contact with bait occurs, immediately rinse the contact area with warm water and soap. If dogs contact the bait do not attempt to remove bait from your dog’s mouth, it will not harm the dog if ingested.

The Health Department encourages residents to be mindful of wildlife and to leave wild animals alone when they are encountered. There has been one incident this year of a rabid raccoon biting an individual and last year there were two separate incidents of rabid raccoon bites in Chautauqua County. These incidents resulted in the raccoons being killed and then tested for rabies.

If you have questions about the bait, call the USDA Rabies Hotline at 1-(888) 574-6656.