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Rabies clinic in Newark Wayne County Public Health and Lyons Veterinary Clinic will host a Rabies Vaccination Clinics for Pets on Saturday, February 28, from 2 to 4 in Newark at the Highway Garage on Blackmar St. All dogs must be leashed and cats/ferrets securely confined to avoid escapes and injuries. The clinic is free but a $5 donation is requested to help defray the cost of the clinics. No one would be turned away due to the inability to donate. Next clinic will be held in June with the date being announced at a later time. NEW STRICTER LAWS FOR PET RABIES IMMUNIZATIONS The Wayne County Public Health Service would like to make Wayne County residents aware of recent changes to rabies control laws in New York State, and to reiterate the importance of vaccinating domestic animals against the deadly disease. Rabies statutes in place since the 1940's when dog rabies was the main threat have now been updated to better address today's challenges from rabies in wildlife. County residents are reminded that unvaccinated pets and livestock remain vulnerable year-round to getting rabies from wild or feral animals, and they can then expose people to the disease. Rabies shots are now required statewide for all cats, dogs, and domestic ferrets by four months of age, and owners can be fined up to $200 if they fail to get their pets vaccinated and keep them up-to-date. If a pet bites a person, the pet must be observed for ten days to ensure that it is healthy and does not have rabies. The new law requires that if the pet is not up-to-date on its rabies vaccinations, the owner must confine the animal at an appropriate facility such as a veterinary hospital, kennel, or shelter for the ten-day observation period, if the owner is unwilling to have the pet destroyed and tested for rabies. Vaccinated pets that bite someone can still be confined and observed from home in most cases. All dogs in the state must now be licensed at four rather than six months of age. The license tag attached to the dog's collar can help get lost dogs returned to their homes and ensure the dogs are distinguished from unvaccinated and unowned dogs. Additionally, the law allows cities and towns to reinstate programs for dog enumeration to document dog ownership, vaccination, and licensing. As in the past, if a rabid or suspect-rabid animal fights with a pet that is not up-to-date on its rabies immunizations, the pet must be promptly destroyed or placed in quarantine for six months to protect other animals and people in case the pet develops rabies. Neither of these is required for a vaccinated pet in the same situation, which requires only a booster dose of vaccine within five days. Staff members of Wayne County Public Health are available around the clock to help anyone who may have been exposed to rabies or who has questions about the disease. Schedules of pet vaccination clinics or other information can be obtained by calling 946.5749 during regular business hours. After normal business hours, residents with urgent emergency inquiries can call 946.9711 and ask for the rabies pager.
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