The Jackson County Health Department will hold a rabies vaccine clinic on Saturday to help owners protect their pets.
Jackson County Environmental Health Specialist Megan Martin said the state requires annual rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats. She said an increase in vaccinations cut rabies cases to less than 30 in 2023. She said Jackson County does not have a veterinarian, forcing pet owners to travel for treatment and vaccines.
“Luckily, surrounding counties are not far,” Martin said. “But bringing this clinic to Jackson County, bringing it to the health department, just allows those people who live here, who can’t, you know, as easily get to surrounding counties, surrounding towns, an opportunity to make sure that their animals are protected.”
Martin said those interested should bring their pet and a piece of paper with their name, address, phone number, and the pet’s name. The clinic will open at 1:00pm Saturday. The cost is $12 per animal.
“Dogs and cats are the only ones that it’s approved for, yes,” Martin said. “I mean, some people will get their horses vaccinated. Horses are one of the most common animals that we see other than cats and dogs, but it’s not approved for horses.”
She said the event has been held for the past two years and some 35 animals were vaccinated at the clinic last year. She said store-bought vaccines exist as an alternative, but the state does not recognize those as part of its vaccine requirement.
“It’s not super common, but they really feel like the numbers have gone down since people have been getting their animals vaccinated properly,” Martin said.
She said some agencies have begun air-dropping substances into rural areas that prevent rabies when consumed by animals.
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