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Cats and ferrets must be in carriers and dogs must be on a leash. Aggressive dogs must be muzzled. No examinations will be given and all pets must be supervised by an adult.
“Vaccinating your pet against rabies will protect your pet and your family in case your pet has contact with a rabid or potentially rabid animal,” said Dr. Sherlita Amler, Westchester County health commissioner.
Under New York State law, dogs and cats must receive their first rabies vaccine no later than four months after birth. A second rabies shot must be given within one year of the first vaccine, with additional booster shots given every one or three years after that, depending on the vaccine used. Owners who fail to get their pets vaccinated and keep the vaccinations up-to-date may be fined up to $2,000.
A pet that is up-to-date with its rabies vaccinations would only need to get a booster dose of vaccine within five days of the pet’s exposure to a known or suspect rabid animal. Animals not up-to-date with rabies vaccinations would need to be quarantined or potentially euthanized following contact with a rabid or suspect-rabid animal.
All animal bites or contacts with animals suspected of having rabies must be reported to the Westchester County Health Department at (914)-813-5000. After hours, callers should follow instructions in the recorded message for reporting public health emergencies 24 hours a day.
To schedule a required appointment for the clinic, call (914)-632-1269.
To learn more about rabies and its prevention, residents can visit the Health Department’s website at www.westchestergov.com/health.
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