Nassau, Suffolk to distribute raccoon rabies baits
Suffolk police have encountered an inordinate number of sick raccoons. (May 8, 2001) Credit: Newsday / David L. Pokress
Suffolk began distributing raccoon rabies vaccine bait Thursday, and Nassau is scheduled to begin Monday in an effort to combat the potentially lethal disease.
No rabid raccoon has been found in Suffolk since January 2009; the last one found in Nassau was in 2007. Nevertheless, health officials said, it is likely that infected raccoons are on the Island. For the first seven months of this year, 297 animals tested positive for rabies in the rest of the state, including 173 raccoons, according to the state Department of Health.
"To prevent rabies is dependent on making sure a large population of raccoons are vaccinated so their offspring remain vaccinated as well," said Suffolk's health commissioner, Dr. James Tomarken.
Starting Thursday through next Friday, Suffolk will distribute about 40,000 baits - which are not harmful to people or domestic animals - in residential areas by county vehicles. Beginning Monday, an additional 80,000 baits will be distributed by helicopter in wooded areas, according to health department spokeswoman Grace Kelly-McGovern.
The primary baiting area is north of the Long Island Expressway to the Long Island Sound and extends from the Nassau-Suffolk border east to Route 111. Baits also will be distributed by hand south of the Long Island Expressway: Brentwood, Bay Shore, Islip, Brightwaters, North Great River and Deer Park. Connetquot River State Park and Heckscher State Park will be baited by helicopter.
Nassau will distribute bait by truck from Monday through Oct. 30.
The baiting area will cover the northern portion of Nassau County from the Queens to Suffolk borders and is bounded to the south by: the Northern State Parkway from Lakeville Road to Shelter Rock Road; Hillside Avenue from Herricks Road to Brush Hollow Road; and Old Country Road from the Wantagh State Parkway to Round Swamp Road.
Rabies can be fatal in unvaccinated animals and humans if they are not treated before the onset of symptoms. It is not possible to get rabies from the vaccine because the vaccine does not contain the live rabies virus.
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