Please be advised that between August 11th and August 16th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services Program distributed approximately 384,000 oral rabies vaccine baits across northeastern Maine.
These rabies vaccines are small cubes or sachets coated with fishmeal.
Bait types (top right to bottom left): blister pack, fishmeal-coated cube, fishmeal-coated sachet.
Humans and pets cannot get rabies from contact with the baits, but should not touch or move them. Studies show that both vaccine bait types have proven safe in many species of animals, including domestic dogs and cats. While dogs may get an upset stomach if they eat a lot of baits, there are no known long-term health risks. If a person has skin contact with the baits, they should rinse the affected area with warm water and soap.
For more information, please see a news release from the Department of Health and Human Services dated August 2nd, 2024 here.