Texas Border Business
EDINBURG, Texas — The Hidalgo County Health & Human Services Department’s Animal Control Services will be participating in the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Oral Rabies Vaccination Program (ORVP) as part of ongoing efforts to protect public health and control rabies in wildlife, particularly foxes and coyotes.
Beginning Monday, February 2, Animal Control Officers will begin distributing rabies vaccine bait pouches in unpopulated and rural areas of Hidalgo County. The bait will be dispersed in areas where wildlife activity is more common. It is small, coated in fishmeal, and designed to be consumed by foxes and coyotes. The vaccine helps protect wildlife from rabies, reducing the spread of the disease and the risk to people and pets.
“The goal of this initiative is to reduce the risk of rabies in wildlife, which in turn helps lower the risk of exposure for Hidalgo County residents and their pets,” said Diana Cortes-Baca, Program Manager for Public Health Environmental Services. “At the same time, keeping pets up to date on their rabies vaccinations remains critical to protecting the health and safety of our community.”
The bait is placed in unpopulated and rural areas and is not intended for public handling. Residents who may come across a bait pouch are advised to leave it in place so it can be consumed by wildlife. In the unlikely event that a person or pet comes in contact with the bait or its contents, washing the affected area with soap and water is recommended.
For questions or to report finding a bait pouch in an unexpected area, residents may contact Hidalgo County Animal Control Services at 956-383-0111. For media inquiries, please contact Peter Salinas, Public Health Liaison, at peter.salinas@hchd.org.
Background on ORVP
The Texas Department of State Health Services’ Oral Rabies Vaccination Program (ORVP) is a long-standing, statewide rabies prevention effort designed to control rabies in wildlife populations, particularly foxes and coyotes in South and West Texas along the US-Mexico border. The program was established in 1988 to prevent the spread of rabies into communities and reduce the risk of exposure for people and pets. ORVP uses a combination of aerial distribution and hand placement of rabies vaccine bait in targeted, unpopulated areas and has been used safely and effectively for decades as part of Texas’ broader public health and rabies prevention strategy. For more information, visit www.TexasORVP.org.
