news release

 

ANDREW J. SPANO, Westchester County Executive

JOSHUA LIPSMAN, M.D., M.P.H., Commissioner of Health

 SUSAN TOLCHIN, Director of Communications

 

 

CONTACT:     MARY LANDRIGAN                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (914) 813-5000 (After Hours)

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                  November 10, 2004             

 

FREE RABIES VACCINATIONS OFFERED BY

WESTCHESTER HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND CITY OF YONKERS

The Westchester County Department of Health and the City of Yonkers will be jointly sponsoring a free rabies vaccination clinic for the pets of Westchester residents this weekend.  The clinic will be held on Sunday November 14th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Nodine Hill Community Center located at 140 Fillmore Street, Yonkers. All county residents are eligible to bring their dogs, cats and ferrets in for free rabies vaccinations or booster shots.  Cats and ferrets must be brought in carriers and dogs must be on a leash. Aggressive dogs should be muzzled. For more information on this event, residents should call the Yonkers Animal Shelter at (914) 377-6730 after 11:00 a.m.

“Rabies is an extremely dangerous disease to humans as well as to many animals,” said Joshua Lipsman, M.D., M.P.H., Commissioner of Health for Westchester County.  “Vaccination against rabies is essential for the protection of your pet and yourself and is required by law.”

Under New York State law, dogs, cats and ferrets must receive their first rabies vaccination no later than four months after birth. A second rabies shot must be given within one year of the first vaccination 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 $1,000.

“It is important for pet owners to know that if their pet is not up-to-date with its rabies vaccinations and it has a fight with a rabid or suspect-rabid animal, or if it bites or scratches someone, the pet will either be euthanized or quarantined for six months,” said Dr. Lipsman.  “A pet that is up-to-date with its vaccinations would only need to get a booster dose of vaccine within five days of the incident,” he said.

MORE

 

RABIES VACCINATIONS – Page 2

 

Rabies is a fatal disease that is spread through the bite or saliva of infected animals.  Those animals most commonly infected are raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes.  However, domestic animals such as cats and dogs are also at risk because they can easily contract rabies from wild or stray animals.

A change in an animal’s behavior is often the first sign of rabies.  A rabid animal may become either abnormally aggressive or unusually tame.  It may lose fear of people and become docile or it may become particularly excited and irritable.  Staggering, spitting and frothing at the mouth are sometimes noted in infected animals.  Adults should encourage children to avoid touching unfamiliar animals and to immediately tell an adult if they have been bitten or scratched by an animal.

All animal bites or contact with animals suspected of having rabies must be reported to the Westchester County Health Department at (914) 813-5000, 24 hours a day.  To learn more about rabies and its prevention, residents can also call the Rabies Hotline at (914) 813-5010 to hear a taped message or they can visit the Health Department website at www.westchestergov.com/health.

 

-30-