Rabies Information

Rabies is a viral disease which attacks the central nervous system in any warm blooded animal. Rabies is transmitted from animal to animal or animal to person when the virus is introduced into a break in the skin. The virus multiplies and eventually travels to the brain. In addition, the virus concentrates in the saliva so that a bite from an infected animal can cause the disease. A person can be infected with the rabies virus if he is bitten or has contact through an open cut or scratch
with the saliva or other bodily fluids of an infected wild or domestic animal.

The Cape Cod Rabies Task Force (CCRTF), co-chaired by Karl von Hone, Yarmouth Director of Natural Resources, and by staff member, Erika Woods, continues to meet regularly to coordinate with local Health Directors, Animal Control Officers and Natural Resource Officers Cape-wide.  Through these coordination efforts, the Task Force works to facilitate the education of town residents and visitors in order to implement town policies and procedures and coordinate the semi-annual distribution of the Oral Rabies Vaccine (ORV).