Media Alert
January 12, 2006

DSHS Rabies Vaccine Airdrop Begins in Fort Stockton Saturday

What: Texas Department of State Health Services Oral Rabies Vaccination Program airdrop of rabies vaccine to immunize gray foxes

When: The week-long project in Fort Stockton begins Jan. 14.

Where: Pecos County Airport, Fort Stockton, Texas

Who: Texas Department of State Health Services assisted by Texas Cooperative Extension, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Texas National Guard, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Army Veterinary Laboratory, Texas A&M University System and Dynamic Aviation Group.

Why: Continue to contain a rabies epizootic in gray foxes to reduce human exposure to rabies

How: Some 2 million dog food-based baits containing an oral rabies vaccine will be dropped from specially-equipped King Air planes from Dynamic Aviation Group flying at 500 feet. Baits will be dropped over portions of 27 counties in West-Central Texas to immunize gray foxes against rabies and reduce the threat of the deadly disease to domestic animals and humans.

Counties: Baits will be airdropped over portions of the following West-Central Texas counties: Brewster, Coke, Coleman, Concho, Crockett, Edwards, Gillespie, Glasscock, Irion, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Mason, Maverick, McCulloch, Menard, Pecos, Reagan, Real, Runnels, Sterling, Terrell, Tom Green, Upton, Uvalde, Val Verde and Zavala.

Web: More information, including project updates, available on the Web at: www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/rabies/ORVP/

Notes: Operations will move to Junction around Jan. 21.

Contacts: Ernest “Skip” Oertli or Guy Moore , DSHS Oral Rabies Vaccination Program, Operations Trailer, Fort Stockton, 432-336-6006;
Emily Palmer , DSHS Assistant Press Officer, Austin, 512-458-7400.