PROVINCE DISTRIBUTES RABIES VACCINE TO PROTECT PUBLIC AND WILDLIFE

For Immediate Release
July 16, 2007

PROVINCE DISTRIBUTES RABIES VACCINE TO PROTECT PUBLIC AND WILDLIFE
Southern Ontario To Benefit From Over 750,000 Wildlife Vaccine Baits

TORONTO — The McGuinty government is continuing to protect the province's people and wildlife by distributing rabies vaccine baits across parts of southern Ontario, Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay said today.

“Rabies is a dangerous virus and we’re committed to protecting the public, their pets and livestock from this disease,” said Ramsay. “With our new rabies vaccine we hope to eliminate fox and raccoon strain rabies in southern Ontario.”

The province plans to air-drop approximately 400,000 baits containing the new vaccine ONRAB in parts of Grey, Dufferin and Wellington Counties in southwestern Ontario.  Last year, the ministry received research approval to use the new vaccine, developed in Ontario, to control rabies in wildlife.  In other parts of southwestern Ontario, approximately 350,000 traditional rabies vaccine baits will be distributed in a time-proven effort to control the disease.

The province will also distribute the traditional rabies vaccine baits in parts of the Greater Toronto Area, in response to the diagnosis of fox strain rabies in several skunks from Bolton in 2006 – the first cases in that area since 1997.  Hand-baiting is set to start in July in the river ravines closest to the Toronto International Airport.  If necessary, aerial baiting will take place in August in other ravines.

The vaccine baits are small and khaki green and made of fat and wax.  A toll-free number and the words ‘DO NOT EAT’ are stamped on each bait.  People and pets should not touch the baits.  If they do come in contact with the vaccine, people should contact a doctor or veterinarian as a precaution.

Throughout the summer and early fall, the ministry will conduct its annual raccoon rabies control program in rural eastern Ontario and the Niagara region.  For a map of planned rabies control operations for 2007, visit http://rabies.mnr.gov.on.ca/rabiesmaps.cfm.

Related Information

• FACT SHEET - RABIES VACCINE-BAIT IDENTIFICATION
• MAP - RABIES CONTROL OPERATIONS 2007

For More Information

Anne-Marie Flanagan
Minister’s Office
416-327-0654

Jolanta Kowalski
Communications Services Branch
416-314-2106

General Enquiries

Natural Resources Information Centre
1-800-667-1940
TTY 1-866-686-6072 (Hearing Impaired)