08/26/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/26/2024 09:57
The Suffolk County Department of Health Services and its partners will offer free rabies vaccinations for dogs, cats, and ferrets in Suffolk County on two dates in September, as follows: Saturday, September 28, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Gardner County Park, Montauk Highway, Bay Shore, NY. For information about this clinic, residents may call the SPCA at (631) 382-7722 or visit https://suffolkspca.org/media/evnts/.
Sunday, September 29, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Islip Animal Shelter, 200 S. Technology Drive, Central Islip, NY. For information about this clinic, residents may call the Islip Animal Shelter at (631) 224-5660 or visit https://islipny.gov/community-and-services/animal-shelter.
The clinics are available to Suffolk County residents; however, the quantity of vaccine is limited and available only while supplies last.
All dogs must be on leashes and all cats and ferrets must be in carriers. Rabies, a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system, is most often seen among wild animals such as raccoons, bats, skunks and foxes, but any mammal can be infected with rabies. Pets and livestock can get rabies if they are not vaccinated to protect them against infection.
New York State and Suffolk County laws require that all dogs, cats and ferrets be vaccinated against rabies. Vaccinating pets not only provides protection for the animals but also acts as a barrier to keep the rabies virus from spreading between wild animals and people. Although no raccoons have tested positive for the rabies virus in Suffolk County since 2009, three to six percent of the bats tested annually test positive for rabies.
The Suffolk County Department of Health Services recommends the following precautions to protect your pets and your family from possible exposure to rabies:
To keep bats from entering buildings:
Report all animal bites or contact with wild animals to the Suffolk County Department of Health Services at (631) 853-0333 weekdays, 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Outside of normal business hours, report animal bites or contact with wild animals to the department at (631) 852-4820. If possible, contain the animal so that it can be tested.
For more information on rabies, visit the New York State Department of Health website at https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/rabies/fact_sheet.htm, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/.
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