On-land raccoon baiting by the Allegheny County Health Department is scheduled to begin in Ben Avon the week of Aug. 23, with aerial baiting scheduled for Aug. 27. The baiting is designed to cut down on the number of rabies-infected wild animals, particularly raccoons, and the practice has been successful as the number has decreased since 2001.

Baits consist of vaccine packets that are coated or placed inside a fishmeal block, which is tasty to raccoons. The packets are distributed by low-flying planes or helicopters, or by teams on foot or in vehicles. The Health Department emphasizes that the packets will not cause any appreciable harm to humans or pets, although they should be avoided.

If found, intact baits can be removed from where children or pets play and placed elsewhere; damaged baits should be placed in a bag and disposed of in the trash. Gloves or a plastic bag should be used when handling baits. Pets will likely not be harmed by eating a few, but ingesting a lot may cause vomiting or diarrhea.

For more information, contact the Allegheny County Health Department at 1-412-687-2243.