Plan to trap rabid foxes in Maine city spurs complaints from animal lovers
Plan to trap rabid foxes in Maine city spurs complaints from animal lovers
PLAN TO TRAP ANIMALS THAT CAN CARRY RABIES WILL HAVE ON THE OVERALL ECOSYSTEM. RESIDENTS IN BATH ARE REACTING TO A 26 THOUSAND DOLLAR PLAN TO TRAP AND KILL WILD ANIMALS THAT COULD CARRY RABIES AFTER A STRING OF ATTACKS. WHILE SOME DETAILS ARE STILL BEING WORKED OUT WITH THE USDA, EARLY PLANS SAID THAT BOX TRAPS WILL BE USED TO CATCH RED AND GRAY FOXES, RACOONS AND SKUNKS. 00:03:28 I COULDN' BREATHE. THAT IS A BLOW TO NATURE TO THE SYSTEMS OF NATURE ARTIST AND ACTIVIST KDB DOMINGUEZ SAYS SHE HAS SOME SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF KILLING A PREDATOR LIKE A FOX. 10:25:05 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE MORE RABIES IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE MICE THAT GO CRAZY THAT AREN'T BEING EATEN. SHE CREATED A FACEBOOK GROUP CALLED SAVE THE FOX THIS WEEK THAT HAS A FEW HUNDRED MEMBERS AND AN ONLINE PETITION IS GAINING SIGNATURES. 08:50:26 ANOTHER WONDERFUL IDEA WOULD BE TO HAVE THE ORAL RABIES VACCINATION AVAILABLE LINDSEY GOUDREAU THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE CITY SAYS AFTER 16 ANIMALS TESTED POSITIVE FOR RABIES THEY EXPLORED ALL OPTIONS: 16:38:29 TRAPPING IS AN UNPRECEDENTED APPROACH NOT SOMETHING WE TAKE LIGHTLY USING BAIT WITH A RABIES VACCINE JUST WON'T WORK HERE: 00:17:26 IN AN URBAN AREA LIKE BATH WHERE RABIES HAS A FOOT HOLD BAITING IS NOT GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE IN THE WAY WE WANT IT TO BE AND COST INEFFECTIVE GOUDREAU SAYS THE CITY HAD WORKED ON AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN LAST YEAR TO EMPOWER RESIDENTS BUT MORE NOW NEEDS TO BE DONE. SHE RECOMMENDS: ((TAKE GRAPHIC)) VACCINATE PETS AND LIVE STOCK DO NOT LEAVE FOOD OUT SECURE TRASH AND COMPOST REPORT ANY ANIMALS THAT LOOK SICK THE CITY SAYS THEY PLAN TO HAVE A MEETING IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OR SO ONCE THE DETAILS ARE FLUSHED OUT WITH USDA---KDB SAYS SHE PLANS TO BE THERE TO SHARE HER PERSPECTIVE. ONCE IT
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Plan to trap rabid foxes in Maine city spurs complaints from animal lovers
A city in Maine's mid-coast area is having a difficult time managing cases of rabid wild animals, and a government plan to stop the disease has been met with some opposition. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife says Bath, a city of 8,000 people, had 16 animals test positive for rabies in 2019. There were also 18 fox attacks on people and pets. Eleven of the attacks resulted in a person being bitten or scratched. Maine says the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services is proposing a "focused, localized trapping effort" to counter the problem.
BATH, Maine —
A city in Maine's mid-coast area is having a difficult time managing cases of rabid wild animals, and a government plan to stop the disease has been met with some opposition.
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife says Bath, a city of 8,000 people, had 16 animals test positive for rabies in 2019.
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There were also 18 fox attacks on people and pets.
Eleven of the attacks resulted in a person being bitten or scratched. Maine says the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services is proposing a "focused, localized trapping effort" to counter the problem.