The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department urges pet owners to take their unvaccinated pets to one of the several low-cost rabies vaccination clinics starting on Friday.

Partnering with the Health Department and the Humane Society, the Hamilton County Veterinary Medical Association will be offering rabies vaccinations for $12.00 during the special clinics.

“It is heartbreaking to see unvaccinated pets having to be euthanized due to exposure to rabid animals, especially because it is entirely preventable if the vaccination is given before exposure,” said Bonnie Deakins, Director of Environmental Services at the Health Department.

“Pet owners can either take their dogs and cats to a veterinarian for
rabies shots, or go to the special low-cost clinics. Vaccinating our
pets protects them and protects us.”

Rabies is caused by a virus that affects the nervous system of humans
and other mammals. The usual mode of rabies transmission is by the
introduction of saliva containing rabies virus into a bite wound. Any
mammal, such as raccoons, skunks, foxes, bats, dogs, and cats, can get
rabies. Cattle and humans can also get rabies.

In 2008, the Health Department investigated three cases of animal rabies.

Rabies vaccinations are required by law for all dogs and cats. In 2008, the total rabies vaccinations in Hamilton County for dogs and cats were 66,064, which is an increase of 37% since 2002. Rabies vaccinations are important, because these vaccinations can help prevent the spread of a raccoon strain of rabies.

This type of rabies is particularly dangerous because it is more efficiently carried between raccoons. Because rabid raccoons tend to be fast and aggressive, this raises the potential for spreading rabies to domestic pets and other wildlife.

“We urge pet owners to bring both their dogs and cats to the clinics,”
said Ms. Deakins. Even though 2,503 more pets were vaccinated in 2008
than in 2007, only about 54% of the dogs and 21% of the cats in Hamilton County are vaccinated against rabies.

To protect pets and humans from rabies, more dogs and cats in Hamilton County need to be vaccinated.

The special rabies clinics are scheduled for the following dates. All
clinics are from 4-6 p.m.:
Friday, April 17
Saturday, April 18
Wednesday, April 22
Thursday, April 23

Special Cat Clinics
Friday, April 24
Saturday, April 25

Keep your pets vaccinated against rabies. It will protect their
health, your health, and it’s the law.

For more information about clinic locations, please call the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health
Department at 423 209-8110 or visit www.hamiltontn.gov for the
rabies clinic schedule.