SPI assisting rabies vaccination program

 By CARLOS CENTENO

The City of South Padre Island’s Environmental Health Services Depart­ment will be assisting the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Zoonosis Control Division with the Oral Rabies Vacci­nation Program (ORVP).

The purpose of this pro­gram is to reduce or possi­bly eliminate the dog strain of rabies, carried by coy­otes, in Texas. Baits con­taining a vaccination for the disease have been distribut­ed in South Texas known to have coyote traffic.

In larger rural areas the bait has been dropped by airplane or helicopter. In our community the baits will be distributed by hand to avoid the threat of dam­aged property or disturbing residents or visitors.

The baits will be distrib­uted from January 26 to January 28 in key locations. Locations include; the base of the causeway, grassy ar­eas around Schlitterbahn, wetlands between Sea Turtle, Inc. and Landfall Towers, grassy and wet­land areas near the Conven­tion Centre, the flats north of the Convention Centre, grassy areas north of the Hilton, grassy areas near The Shores (west of Padre Boulevard) and the horse stables.

For more on this story, pick up a copy of the Jan. 27 edition of the Port Isabel South Padre Press.