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State veterinarian outlines January 2026 oral rabies vaccination plan for El Paso County
Summary
Texas Department of State Health Services officials told the El Paso County Commissioners Court the agency will expand its oral rabies vaccination program in January 2026 with both aerial baiting over nonpopulated areas and an estimated 4,500 hand-bait placements in urban fox and coyote habitat to prevent an encroaching Arizona fox variant from establishing locally.
Dr. Susan Schaff, regional state veterinarian with the Texas Department of State Health Services, told the El Paso County Commissioners Court on Nov. 20, 2025, that the department plans to expand an oral rabies vaccination program in El Paso County beginning in January 2026.
The program will use both aerial bait drops over nonpopulated terrain and targeted hand-baiting in urban fox and coyote habitat, with staff estimating about 4,500 hand-bait placements. "We haven't seen a terrestrial rabies case in El Paso in over 30 years," Schaff said, explaining the effort aims to prevent establishment of the Arizona fox variant that wildlife surveillance has detected in nearby New Mexico.
Why it matters: County presenters said the Arizona fox variant was identified in bobcats and a dog in New Mexico in 2024 and 2025. Schaff described the vaccine product used as Raboral V-RG, a recombinant vaccinia virus carrying rabies glycoprotein antigen, and said studies show it is safe if non-target animals or domestic pets encounter bait. "The vaccine cannot cause rabies because it does not carry the DNA," Schaff said.
Program details and safety: Schaff and program staff said the vaccination sachets are fish-meal–coated baits stamped "rabies vaccine do not disturb" with a contact phone number for anyone who finds a bait. They acknowledged rare risks for people who are pregnant, immunocompromised or have certain skin conditions and said public health staff will maintain surveillance and a hotline. The county and state plan a pre-release media campaign to show residents what the baits look like and what to do if one is found.
Operational notes: Last year marked the first aerial baiting in some El Paso County locations (helicopter over nonpopulated terrain). For January 2026 staff aim to combine a fixed-wing aerial drop over rural portions of the county with extensive hand-baiting in arroyos and other urban wildlife corridors. Schaff said Fort Bliss was considered as an operational partner but could not be included this year due to regulatory hurdles; staff hope to include the installation in future operations.
Where it goes next: County staff invited residents to use a posted phone number and contact county animal services with questions, and promised continuing education for animal-control officers who will assist in hand-baiting. No formal court action was taken; the presentation was informational and commissioners asked follow-up questions about outreach and safety.
Ending: County staff said they will coordinate a public communications campaign ahead of the January distribution and remain available to answer questions and report any post-deployment incidents.
