• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association

Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association

To Honor and Protect the Ranching Way of Life

  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Why Join
    • Leadership
    • Staff
    • Partners
    • FAQs
    • Newsroom
    • Sponsorships
    • Employment
  • What We Do
    • Theft and Law
    • Issues and Policy
    • Education
    • Students and Young Professionals
    • The Cattleman Magazine
    • Disaster Relief Fund
    • Cattle Raisers Insurance
    • Cattle Raisers Trading Co
  • Events
    • Cattle Raisers Convention
    • Summer Meeting
    • Policy Conference
    • Ranch Gatherings
    • Ranching 101
  • Join
  • Member Center
  • TSCRA Store
  • Show Search
Hide Search

Texas resumes wildlife vaccine airdrops to combat rabies along border

Source: Texas Department of State Health Services | Jan. 18, 2021

The Texas Department of State Health Services continues to take aim at rabies with its Oral Rabies Vaccination Program, which resumed flights Jan. 18 from Zapata. This year marks the 27th year of this successful program, which led to the elimination of the domestic dog-coyote and the Texas fox rabies virus variants from the state.

The project is slated to run for two weeks. DSHS will utilize aircraft from Dynamic Aviation Group, Inc. and a Texas Wildlife Services helicopter to airdrop more than 1.15 million baits containing rabies vaccine along the southern Texas border. Ground distribution of additional vaccine baits by local and regional public health personnel will take place in South Texas and El Paso County in late January.

An outbreak caused by a domestic dog/coyote variant of the rabies virus led Texas to initiate the first ORVP in 1995 in southern Texas, while a gray fox rabies outbreak occurring in West-Central Texas led to an ORVP in 1996. The program’s success was evident early on. Texas experienced 122 cases of the dog/coyote rabies variant in 1994, the year before the first vaccine drop, but then recorded zero cases by 2000. Since then just two cases have been documented – one in 2001 and one in 2004. Both occurred within a mile of the Rio Grande River, which is why DSHS concentrates the baits in that area to help vaccinate animals that may enter the country across the southern border.

“Our goal is to vaccinate wildlife migrating into the state and keep those strains from being reintroduced,” said Dr. Laura Robinson, ORVP director. “This year vaccine baits will be distributed in 19 counties along the border.”

The baits to be dropped along the US-Mexico border are small, plastic packets dipped in fish oil and coated with fishmeal crumbles to attract coyotes, gray foxes and other wild carnivores. Extensive research across a wide variety of species has proven the vaccine to be safe; only non-infectious portions of the rabies virus are used. Neither humans nor animals are in danger of developing rabies if they are exposed to the vaccine.

Typically, rabies is spread through the bite of an infected animal. If a person or animal exhibits symptoms of the disease, it is nearly always fatal. It’s critical to immunize domestic animals like pets to help stop the spread of the disease and protect the animals and their owners. Skunks and bats today are the most significant sources of rabies in Texas.

Funding for the $2 million project is provided by the State of Texas and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Services. Airdrop operations will be launched from Zapata County Airport, Del Rio International Airport and Alpine-Casparis Municipal Airport. 

Written by:
kristin
Published on:
January 20, 2021

Categories: Animal Health, Ranching, The Cattleman Now, The Cattleman Now - App, Wildlife

Recent Posts

Crime watch: Attempted cattle theft in Gregg County

May 19, 2025

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Larry Hand, District 13 in East …

Continue Reading about Crime watch: Attempted cattle theft in Gregg County

Crime watch: Black heifer missing in Blanco County

May 16, 2025

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Todd Jennings, District 26 in …

Continue Reading about Crime watch: Black heifer missing in Blanco County

Nominations now being accepted for the Texas Environmental Stewardship Award Program

May 15, 2025

FORT WORTH, Texas (May 15, 2025) – Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, in …

Continue Reading about Nominations now being accepted for the Texas Environmental Stewardship Award Program

Footer

Who We Are

Why Join
Leadership
Staff
Partners
FAQs
Newsroom
Sponsorships
Employment

What We Do

Theft and Law
Issues and Policy
Education
Students and Young Professionals
The Cattleman Magazine
Cattle Raisers Insurance
Cattle Raisers Trading Co.
Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association

Information

Cattle Raisers Blog
News Releases
Bereavements
Events
Sponsorships & Advertisement
Tip Hotline
Get Involved
Links

Membership

Membership Center
Membership Center Instructions
Join
Renew
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

PO BOX 101988
FORT WORTH, TX 76185

1-800-242-7820

© 2023 Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association; All Rights Reserved.

COPYRIGHT | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS OF USE