Wildlife rabies control program more than doubles in size

The wildlife rabies control program in New Brunswick is more than doubling this year to include Fredericton, Saint John and Carleton County.

This summer, 500,000 baited oral vaccines will be distributed by air and by hand in an attempt to vaccinate wild animals like raccoons and skunks against rabies..

Last year, 200,000 baited vaccines were distributed, all of which were in Charlotte County.

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The expansion of the vaccine program is "owing to the presence of rabies cases in Maine in areas close to the New Brunswick border," states a new release from the departments of Agriculture and Resource Development.

In 2015, there were 27 confirmed cases of rabies in New Bruswick, with all of them in Charlotte County, stretching from St. Andrews in the south to McAdam in the north.

Municipal and government employees will distribute the vaccine in the Fredericton area during the week of July 11 and in the Saint John area during the week of July 18.

"There have been no reported cases of wildlife with raccoon-variant rabies in either Fredericton or Saint John, but it is important to be proactive to prevent the spread of this life-threatening disease," said Resource Development Minister Rick Doucet.

The vaccine will be distributed by hand and by air in western New Brunswick, as far north as the county line between Carleton and Victoria counties.

"The bait is not harmful to humans, domestic pets, livestock or the environment," states the government's news release. "However, the public is advised to keep pets under close surveillance during the baiting campaign to ensure they do not ingest the bait intended for wildlife," states the government's news release.

Bait will be distributed in areas frequented by raccoons and skunks, including green spaces, parks, hedges and wooded areas.

The bait vaccinates wildlife against rabies ingestion.