Yates County Public Health is offering free rabies vaccine clinics over the next few months to help your beloved pets stay safe and healthy.
Animals most likely to carry rabies are bats, skunks, raccoons and foxes, according to The Chronicle Express. The rabies virus is fatal for pets like dogs, cats and rodents. If your pet encountered a wild animal, there’s a decent chance they could spread the rabies virus. The good news? It’s 100% preventable with the vaccine.
Related: Protect yourself and your pets from rabies
Tips to stay safe from rabies
- Vaccinate your dogs, cats, ferrets, and livestock against rabies. This could save your pets’ lives.
- Do not leave pet food outside. This attracts unwanted wildlife to your yard- birdfeeders can as well.
- If sick-acting wildlife comes into your yard, bring your family and pets inside and let the animal leave the area. If the animal does not leave and is threatening, notify Yates County Animal Control via the Yates County Sheriff’s Office at (315) 536-4438.
- If a wild animal bites a person or pet, contact Yates County Public Health to find out how to proceed. Public Health may need to test the animal to determine if it has rabies.
- If you find a bat in the room with a person or pet who was alone, or if you were awakened to find a bat in the room while you were sleeping, try to catch the bat and call Public Health.
- Contact Public Health at (315) 536-5160, or after hours, call the Sheriff’s Office at (315) 536-4438 and ask for the Public Health staff person on call.
Additionally, you can find more tips on how to prevent rabies exposure here.
Related: Groups taking on the problem of cat overpopulation in Cayuga County
When’s the next clinic?
The county’s next free rabies clinic will be held on Saturday, June 4 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Penn Yan Fireman’s Field at 110 Hicks Street in Penn Yan. For information on all the clinics planned for the next few months, head to the Yates County Public Health webpage.
Related: May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month
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