Erie County officials highlighted two free rabies vaccine clinics in May today at an event held outside of the Rath Building. Joined by friendly, furry canine friends, Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz, Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein and Rabies Program Manager Peter Tripi provided information about the Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) rabies control program and the restoration of funds in the New York State budget that support local health department’s free rabies vaccine clinics.
“At one point during the state budgeting process, it appeared that funding for local health departments like ours to provide free rabies vaccines to our residents’ pets was in jeopardy of being reduced or eliminated,” said County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “With the cost of rabies vaccines administered by private veterinarians on the rise, those prices could serve as a barrier for pet owners, especially those with multiple pets. This program ensures residents and their pets have access to an extremely important prevention measure and I thank Governor Kathy Hochul for restoring this important funding.”
ECDOH vaccinated approximately 3,100 dogs, cats and ferrets in 2023 against rabies, a virus that causes infection that’s 100 percent fatal in all mammals, including humans. “Our rabies vaccine clinics are part of the preventative work our health department does to reduce the risk of rabies transmission from pets to humans,” said Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein. “We’re grateful for volunteers from the SPCA Serving Erie County, Niagara County Veterinary Society and the Erie County Medical Reserve Corps for making our clinics successful.”
Appointments are still available for the Saturday, May 11 clinic at the Town of Tonawanda Highway Garage, and the Saturday, May 18 clinic at Buffalo Public School 84 near Erie County Medical Center. Registration is required and can be done online at: http://www.erie.gov/rabiesvaccine . Additional vaccine clinics expected to take place in September will be announced later this year.
For more information on the ECDOH Rabies Program, visit http://www.erie.gov/rabiesvaccine
