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Cape Cod , Mass – The most successful and longest running rabies-free campaign in the United States is gearing up for its fall action on Cape Cod. In October, veterinarians from Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine will team up with state public health staff and community volunteers and fan out by car and helicopter over a 170 square mile zone on the mainland side of Cape Cod Canal. Their task will be to distribute 30,000 fishmeal baits laced with raccoon rabies vaccine. This is the sixth year Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine has teamed up with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Massachusetts State Police, and the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to keep Cape Cod rabies-free. Serving as a model for other states, the Tufts program has been shared with professional colleagues in at least seven other states, as well as Canada, France, Belgium, and other nations, according to co-director of the program Dr. Alison Robbins. “Massachusetts is leading the fight against rabies, thanks to the strong support of state legislators and the outstanding work of the Department of Public Health, state police and many others,” said Robbins, a Tufts veterinarian who co-directs the program with Dr. Steve Rowell, director of Tufts’ large and small animal hospitals. “With their continued support, we at Tufts veterinary school believe we can continue to make inroads in eliminating rabies-infected areas in a cost-effective manner,” he said. Other states combating raccoon rabies with bait-drop programs include Texas, Florida, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Virginia and Maryland. Raccoon-strain rabies, by far the most common strain in Massachusetts, first invaded the state in 1992. Since then, 2,812 animals have tested positive for rabies across Massachusetts.
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Tufts
Mobilizes Vaccine Bait-Drops On Rabies-Free Cape Cod 