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Public Health Officials: Vaccinate Your Pets

Story Published: May 26, 2012 at 7:22 PM EDT

Story Updated: May 26, 2012 at 7:22 PM EDT

Lewis County Public Health Officials are reminding the public to vaccinate their pets against rabies.

This after a dog in the town of Denmark came in contact with a dead skunk that tested positive for rabies this week.

The dog was not vaccinated and had to be put down. There is no cure for rabies.

There have been three confirmed cases of rabies in animals in Lewis County so far this year. This was the first skunk.

In St. Lawrence County, vaccinating animals against rabies is now largely the responsibility of towns and villages.

In the past, the county's public health department administered all of the rabies clinics, but in March, the county asked local municipalities to conduct the clinics as part of a cost cutting move.

Each one costs close to $400 to run.

Many of the towns and villages now facilitating the vaccinations have put out donation jars to help offset costs.

"I think they're getting very nice support. Instead of saying, 'it's a donation to the county, I'm donating to my own municipality if I drop something in the donation box,'" said Susan Hathaway, St. Lawrence County Public Health director.

"The goal is to get all the animals vaccinated against rabies. That's really why we're doing it," she added.

The county will hold a handful of clinics at the Human Services Building beginning June 7.

There have been no confirmed rabies cases in St. Lawrence County so far this year, but that could change as the summer months approach.
 
Saturday, May 18, 2013
, Watertown, NY

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