Not Many Confirmed Rabid Raccoons in Ohio, But Eradication Effort Continues

NORTH LIMA, Ohio (News Talk 1480 WHBC) – With continued good weather, the USDA in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Health hope to wrap up their Spring raccoon rabies vaccination bait effort this week.

In fact, they hope to eradicate the deadly disease from the U.S. by the year 2053.

The USDA is using low-flying airplanes and helicopters to drop 230,000 baits in southern Stark and much of Carroll and Tuscarawas Counties, as well as parts of Columbiana and Harrison.

Despite the effort, there was only one confirmed rabid raccoon last summer.

it was in the Warren area.

There hasn’t been a confirmed case in Stark County since it first showed up here in 2017.