BUY-IN
FOR BAITING
(Gaining Public Support)
In 1994, as the Central Florida raccoon rabies epizootic approached the highly urbanized Pinellas County peninsula, the potential crisis scenario was presented to officials along with a strategy to deal with the crisis. Oral wildlife rabies vaccine - Raboral V-RG - was mentioned as a possible weapon in the campaign plan and the state gave Pinellas County permission to conduct a field trial, when conditional licensure was granted to the vaccine manufacturer. When the explosive rabies outbreak occurred in January 1995, the Director of Vetinary Services utilized press releases, interviews, and field news conferences to explain the problem and to outline quarantine measures. In each interview the bait was portrayed as an innovative idea proven effective in Europe and looked promising in the Pinellas County situation. When approval came, a major field news conference was held to explain the entire project. At that point, public support was gained throughout the region covered by a major media market. educating the public was the key to winning support for the program and with every media opportunity, the oral wildlife bait program was mentioned. A hotline number was established which generated hundreds of requests for treatment in high concentrations of raccoons in neighborhoods. Through the three years of baiting campaiigns, less than five complaints have been received opposing the baiting program. This has been amazing since the populace of 900,000 citizens is never shy in expressing their problems/opinions relating animal issues to the Animal Services Department through more than 850 calls per day! The tremendous public support for the project resulted from excellent media coverage, planning, effective action plan, and demonstrated results. Whether it was low cost rabies vaccination clinic or the vaccine-bait distribution campaign, the overwelming comments were,"I cannot believe government is doing something - Thank You."