USDA Drops 1.1 Million Rabies Baits Across 3 States to Curb Raccoon Spread

Q: Why are planes dropping a million fish-flavored packets over the Northeast, and what happens if your dog finds one first?

Planes are dropping roughly 1.1 million fish-flavored bait packets over parts of northern Vermont, New Hampshire and New York to vaccinate raccoons and other wildlife against rabies and slow the spread of the raccoon strain, the most common rabies variant in the eastern United States. The effort is part of the USDA’s National Rabies Management Program. The idea is to create a wildlife vaccination barrier in rural areas where rabies activity has been rising, especially in Vermont and parts of New Hampshire and northern New York. Each bait contains an oral rabies vaccine inside a fishmeal-style block that attracts raccoons; when an animal bites into it, it receives the vaccine. If your dog finds one first, officials say it is not expected to be harmed. The bait and vaccine are considered safe for pets and several wildlife species, although a dog that eats one could have a mild upset stomach. The coating can be sticky, but it is safe to handle. If a bait lands in your yard, the USDA advises picking it up with a paper towel or gloves and moving it to nearby woods or another place where raccoons are likely to gather. People should avoid direct contact with the sticky coating and wash their hands afterward. A few weeks after the drops, USDA workers will trap raccoons in the targeted areas, test blood samples to see whether they received the vaccine, and release them. The long-term goal is to eliminate raccoon rabies in the United States.

1 articles · Updated · New Hampshire Public Radio · Aug 17

Small planes are dropping 1.1 million oral rabies vaccine baits over northern Vermont, New Hampshire and New York in a week-long USDA campaign targeting raccoons.
Vermont reported 66 rabid wildlife cases in both 2024 and 2025, and 37 cases so far this year, including 15 raccoons, as officials try to build a barrier between wildlife and people.
Raccoons are the most common rabies carriers in the Eastern United States, and the bait can also be eaten safely by skunks, coyotes and opossums; dogs that ingest it may only have mild stomach upset.
USDA staff will trap raccoons in the target areas weeks after the drops and test blood samples for vaccine markers, part of a program launched in 1995 that aims to eliminate raccoon rabies nationwide.