Overview
- Health officials are placing fish‑scented oral vaccine baits in wooded parks and green spaces across Brooklyn, Queens and Upper Manhattan as part of the fall campaign.
- The effort is being carried out with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the NYC Parks Department to immunize raccoons that consume the bait.
- Authorities report 18 rabid raccoons in New York City so far this year, along with one rabid cat and one rabid bat.
- A borough breakdown cites 10 rabid raccoons in Queens, two in Brooklyn and six on Staten Island, with Long Island detections leading Nassau County to declare a public health threat in July.
- Officials say the baits pose little risk to people or pets, though the liquid can cause a minor rash; they advise washing after contact, not pulling baits from pets and keeping pet rabies vaccinations current.