Epidemic of rabid raccoons on Long Island forces officials to use ‘fishy’ tactic to stop the spread

Fishy-smelling bait containing the rabies vaccine will be strewn around outdoor recreation areas in Nassau County — as officials try to stamp out a surge in cases among raccoons on Long Island.

The areas, which will have the “oral rabies vaccine baits” tossed from a slow-moving government truck between April 21 and May 2, include Massapequa, Farmingdale, Bethpage, Roslyn, Garden City, Elmont, and Valley Stream, officials said.

Popular outdoor leisure locales like the Massapequa Preserve, Bethpage State Park and the spacious grounds of the Nassau County Art Museum are included in the targeted zones, according to a county map.

The bait will be given a fishy scent to appeal to raccoons, according to Nassau County officials, who said the vaccines will be encased in clear bags “that somewhat resembles a fast-food style ketchup packet.”

The containment effort comes shortly after a fourth raccoon in Amityville, which borders Massapequa in Suffolk County, tested positive for rabies on April 11.

“We are very concerned that rabies is spreading along our western border,” said Dr. Gregson Pigott, Suffolk County Department of Health Services Commissioner.

“We are exploring options to curtail further spread, including the deployment of oral rabies vaccine for the raccoon population.”

It is best to keep children and pets away from the bait.

Nassau County officials advised that if the bait is found near a home or an area where children play, adults should kick the bag deeper toward a covered area.