The goal of this plan is to reduce the population of rabies carrying species within the City following 18 attacks by rabid fox since February of 2019. USDA Wildlife Services, in conjunction with the city of Bath and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, will implement the program.

Specifics regarding the program, including the number of traps and the location of the traps will not be released. USDA Wildlife Services, MDIFW and the city of Bath would like to remind all that the traps will be monitored, and Maine law prohibits disturbing the traps of another; and also prohibits interfering with hunting, fishing or trapping. The program will conclude by March 30.

Box traps will be used.

Rabies vector animals will be the target of this trapping program. This includes red and gray fox, skunks, and raccoons. 

Animals will be euthanized using American Veterinary Medical Association-approved methods. They will be brought to an undisclosed location, sedated and humanely euthanized by injection. In order to gather as much information about these animals as possible, they will be tested by the USDA for rabies and other diseases. 

They will be released on the spot.

Domestic animals caught in the traps will be released to the Bath Police Department’s Animal Control Officer. For this reason, please make sure your pets are microchipped and have identification tags. Animals without identification will be kept at the Bath Police Department and photos shared on the department’s Facebook page. If no one claims the animals, they will be brought to the local humane society. 

Please call the Bath Police Department immediately at 207-443-5563, or Sagadahoc County Dispatch at 207-443-9711. 

No. Rabies can incubate in an animal for up to six weeks before they begin to exhibit symptoms. Up until that point, they will appear healthy and exhibit normal behaviors.  Clinically sick and incubating animals will behave similar to animals that are not sick and therefore will go to the traps for food.  Once an animal starts showing signs of rabies, their behavior can be erratic and rabid animals may be harder to trap.

The trapping program will end on March 30 to prevent orphaning young born in April. If a lactating animal does happen to be caught, she will be released unharmed. 

They will be checked a minimum of 2 times each day and not set during extreme cold temperatures.

A summarized report of the program will be available to the public once USDA Wildlife Services compiles the data, likely by the end of June.

No, it would be unlikely, as there are still many other predators – such as birds of prey, weasels and snakes – that will help keep the rodent population under control. 

The City will continue to work with State and Federal agencies on an integrative plan to address rabies, which will include public education efforts and coordination of low-cost dog and cat rabies vaccination clinics. City Council has also convened a rabies response task force to research options and create a multi-faceted strategy to comprehensively address the rabies public health and safety issue in Bath, including research into the viability of a long-term, regional, oral rabies vaccination program.

Raboral ORV is only for purchase by government agencies, not by individuals. The City will not be purchasing any Raboral ORV unless it is part of a regional, long-term rabies management plan.

For more information on this topic, please visit the City’s rabies resource webpage: https://www.cityofbathmaine.gov/Rabies