Management Activities  

The Wyoming Animal Damage Management Board (ADMB) has initiated various aspects of state-wide management for rabies.  By statute, the Board is to work towards 5 management goals:

• Surveillance

• Public Education & Prevention

• Vaccination Protocol

• Post-exposure procedures and quarantines

• Agreements with Law Enforcement Agencies

Surveillance:

• Fall, 2003 the ADMB launched the first ever state-wide surveillance program in the history of Wyoming. 

• Through cooperative efforts between the WY State Veterinary Laboratory and USDA/Wildlife Services and the ADMB, approximately 400 clinical specimens (17 per county) will be collected and analyzed to determine the incidence of the disease in the state.  The results of this surveillance will be made available on this website on the Data page.

Public Information and Education:

• In 2003, the ADMB began its public information and education program.  The first phase was the development and publishing of the brochure "RABIES - What You Need To Know".  Approximately 7,500 of these have been freely distributed.

• May, 2004.  This website www.wyorabies.org was developed.

• The third phase is planned to be completed over the summer of 2004, and will include radio Public Service Announcements, and TV video.

Vaccination Protocol, Post-exposure procedures and quarantines, Agreements with Law Enforcement Agencies:

• These three final areas are covered in the Wyoming Wildlife Rabies Management Plan and Wildlife Rabies Regulations.

• Under existing statute, county commissioners are empowered to establish "Rabies Districts", and by resolution create the parameters by which the district may operate.  Because this avenue for local control of how management is to proceed, the ADMB meshed existing county powers into the plan and regulations, thereby allowing the county to determine how vaccinations, post-exposure procedures and how law enforcement for rabies management may proceed within the created district.

• Under the management plan, the ADMB will offer its financial and other available resources to the rabies district as requested or agreed upon. 

Other Activities:

• May, 2004.  The ADMB is working towards purchasing and making available to county agencies (e.g., Weed & Pest district offices), live traps for the public to use to trap out skunks or other pests that may be disease vectors.  127 traps are planned to be purchased for use in 16 counties.