• By Tim Jennings
• Posted Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Low Cost Rabies Vaccination Clinic

Forsyth County Animal Control will hold a low-cost Rabies Vaccination Clinic on Saturday, March 1, 2014 for dogs, cats, and ferrets at the Animal Control Shelter from 1 pm until 4 pm. The cost to vaccinate each pet is $5.00.

Please have dogs on leashes and cats and ferrets in carriers. If you do not have a carrier, loaners are available. One and three year vaccinations will be available. You must bring proof of previous Rabies vaccination for 3-year shot (i.e. Rabies certificate) otherwise, your pet will receive a 1-year shot). Pets must be 3 months of age or older to receive the rabies vaccination. Forsyth County Animal Control is located at 5570 Sturmer Park Circle in Winston-Salem (just off University Parkway). $10 Vouchers for spaying/neutering will be available at the clinic for qualifying households.

For more information, call (336) 703-2480.

Rabies is a preventable disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. That is because rabid animals have the disease in their saliva or drool. If rabies enters the body, it attacks the brain and spinal cord.

In North Carolina, raccoons are more likely to have rabies than any other animal. However, cats, dogs, foxes, skunks, and farm animals can also get rabies. Even humans can get rabies. Rabies kills if it is not prevented. Once signs of the disease appear in an animal or a human, they usually die within 10 days. But you can get anti-rabies shots to fight off the disease. Rabies shots need to be given as soon as possible after a bite has occurred, before symptoms appear. The vaccination consists of a series of six shots given over 30 days.