Rabies Clinic

June 12 At

Town Hall Gym

Town Clerk Cindy Simon advises Newtown dog and cat owners that the town clerk’s office will be conducting a low-cost antirabies vaccination clinic on Saturday, June 12, from 1 to 3 pm, at the Edmond Town Hall gymnasium. There are no residency requirements. Public Act 91-46 requires all cats and dogs 3 months of age or older to be vaccinated against rabies.

Although rabies is rare among humans, it is almost always fatal. The rabies virus, in the saliva of infected animals, enters a victim through a skin puncture or open wound, affecting the central nervous system.

Rabies moved up the East Coast in 1991 and has been detected in every town in the state. Since that time significantly more than 5,000 animals have tested positive for rabies in Connecticut. Of these nearly 4,000 have been raccoons and around 1,000 have been skunks. The remaining several hundred cases have been confirmed in cats, foxes, woodchucks, cows, dogs, horse, sheep, coyote, goals, squirrel, deer, otter, ferret, bobcat, and rabbit. These figures are for animals that have tested positive and do not reflect the number of possible rabid animals in the state; not all animals are tested after their deaths.

Members of the Connecticut Veterinary Medicine Association donate their time to the clinics as a public service in order to help protect the health of Connecticut’sresidents and their pets.

The cost is $12 cash only per animal. Due to the increasing incidence of rabies, written proof (not tags) of prior vaccination for rabies or a current dog license must be presented to qualify for a three-year certificate. (Tags are not acceptable.) A one-year certificate will be given to all others. This is in compliance with the directive of the state veterinarian.

State law requires that all pets vaccinated for the first time in 2003 must be vaccinated again in 2004. Check pets’ rabies vaccination certificates for the expiration date. Collar tags and certificates of vaccination will be provided as required by law.

All dogs must be on leashes and cats must be in carriers. Those attending the low-cost rabies clinic may also purchase the new 2004 dog licenses at that time. To do so, bring the dog’s spay/neuter certificate enabling the owner to pay a lower license fee.

Contact the town clerk’s office for further information at 270-4210.