Following Five Successful Events, Final Free Clinic for 2015 Scheduled for Weds. Sept. 23

ERIE COUNTY, NY— The Erie County Department of Health has announced that the final free rabies clinic for 2015 will be held this Wednesday, September 23 at the Erie County Fire Training Academy in Cheektowaga. Five heavily-attended clinics have been held thus far in 2015, resulting in the vaccination of well over 2,000 animals.  The popular clinics are conducted by the Erie County Department of Health in association with the Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society, the Medaille College Veterinary Technology Program, and the SPCA Serving Erie County and provide free rabies vaccinations for dogs, cats, and ferrets.

In January 2015, an indoor-clinic record 620 animals received rabies vaccinations at a free clinic held in North Buffalo, and over 800 animals were vaccinated at a September 9 rabies clinic held in the Town of Tonawanda. As of September 15, 2015 12 raccoons have tested positive for rabies in Erie County, along with 11 bats, 1 cat, 1 fox, and 1 skunk.

RABIES CLINIC DATE & LOCATION:

• Wednesday, September 23, 2015: 4:00 – 7:00 PM, Erie County Fire Training Academy, 3359 Broadway, Cheektowaga (near Union Rd.)

Pet owners are reminded to bring their pets’ vaccination records to the clinic, and are also reminded that the law requires pets to be immunized against rabies. It is equally important that “indoor” or “indoor/outdoor” cats be vaccinated against rabies as there is no way to ensure that any cat will be 100% free of potential rabies exposure. In addition bats, which have a high incidence of rabies, commonly find their way into homes through small openings and raccoons can also find ways inside buildings in a search for food. 

For more information:

On the ECDOH Rabies, Disease & Vector Control program, visit: 

http://www2.erie.gov/health/index.php?q=vector-control-program