Do Your Pets Need Their Rabies Shots?

Free Rabies Clinics for ALL Dogs, Cats & Domesticated Ferrets

Proof of prior vaccination is required to receive a 3-year vaccination!!!

Sponsored by the Orleans County Health Department

For more info call:  589-3278

Why is Knowing about Rabies important?

Animal rabies continues to be a serious health problem in New York State and Orleans County.  With increased contact between wildlife and strays, people and their pets, the Orleans County Health Department reminds all county residents to become aware of rabies.  In the past 5 years, there has been over 100 animal bites per year reported by Orleans County residents.  Over 60 people have needed treatment, costing the county tens of thousands of dollars.  Most of these bites could have been avoided if the animals had been wearing large 'DANGER' signs on them or those who were bitten had stayed away from the animal in the first place.

Rabies is a fatal disease that only mammals can get and is generally associated with wild animals.  Wildlife including, bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes are most often thought of when rabies is mentioned.  However, domestic animals such as cats, dogs, ferrets and livestock are also at risk of getting and transmitting rabies.  This virus attacks the nervous system and is passed on from mammal to mammal (including humans) either through a bite or the saliva and/or nervous tissue from an infected animal.

The majority of the reported exposures occur when an individual handles a stray animal or an injured, sick-looking wild animal.  It doesn't matter how old the animal is (even babies), it can still have rabies and transmit it to others.

Bats are another way to be exposed to rabies.  Although bats do not normally attack humans, any bat that is active during daylight or found on the ground, unable to fly, is probably sick, and should not be handled.  Bats teeth are tiny and razor sharp and a sleeping person may not feel a bite or see bite marks if a bat is found in a room.  If a bat is found in a house where people have been sleeping or children or folks with limited abilities have been...do NOT release it.  Safely try to catch the bat without destroying the head (rabies can only be identified in the brain tissues).  Using gloves, take a shovel or can that can be covered to scoop the bat into the container and cover it.  Take the bat to the health department for testing.  If the bat is recovered during after-hours and weekends call the Sheriff's Department at 589-5527 to have an Environmental technician paged.

It is important to teach ALL family members (and practice what you teach!) to stay away from animals they don't know or if their pet appears to have been in a fight with another animal.  Do not touch or handle your own pet if it appears they have been attacked by another animal as there may be infected saliva on your pet.  Either wait for a couple of hours to make sure the saliva is dried or use heavy rubber gloves to bathe your pet.

Protecting your home from wildlife, including bats can also help to protect your family.  Make sure all garbage is stored in locking garbage cans and recyclables are rinsed of all food/drink.  Never leave pet food and water outside.  Bat-proof your home and buildings by looking for possible openings (as small as a pencil - 1/4" x 1 1/2"), keeping bright lights on 24 hours a day to eliminate dark areas during the spring and summer which are prime roosting times.  Patch or cover broken basement windows, attic windows and vent areas.  Keep an eye on your pets even if they are in an outside enclosure.

New York State law mandates all cats, dogs and ferrets be vaccinated by 4 months of age. 

If the vaccination is overdue, it can cost the life of your pet if it is involved with a potentially rabid animal. 

Take responsibility as a pet owner. 

Free rabies (donations are accepted) vaccination clinics are offered 4 times a year at 2 Orleans County locations.

If you are bitten or saliva from an unknown animal gets into your eyes, mouth and/or nose, clean the area immediately, contact your doctor or go to the emergency room and contact the Health Department at 589-3278 or after hours call 589-5527.

For more information on rabies click on one of the links below:

NYS Health Dept

CDC - Rabies Link

How to Safely Catch a Bat

Rabies Info

In today’s world we need to be prepared for many kinds of emergencies which could impact our health and safety.  Remember the “Surprise Storm” of October 12th, 2006?  Whether an emergency is caused by disease outbreak, wildfire, severe weather, earthquake or terrorist acts, would we know what to do to help protect ourselves and our family?

The Orleans County Health Department reminds you to talk with your family about the need to prepare for any type of emergency whether you are at home or away. 

Then make a plan, write it down, practice, review and update it often. 

The following suggestions will help keep you and your family safe in the event of an emergency:

• Make sure everyone in your family knows where you keep emergency supplies and a first aid kit.  Check it monthly and re-supply it as needed.
• In an emergency, tune in to media reports for important information.  Know which stations can provide up-to-date local information
• Keep important phone numbers by each phone in your home.
• Know the best escape route from each room in your home and remember to choose a meeting place away from the house.
• Know where family members will meet in case they can’t get home – one near home and one outside the neighborhood.
• Know your community’s public alert system and your child’s school emergency plan.

Take time now to create a family emergency preparedness plan, and then practice it with your family.  Have periodic rehearsals, including some with lights out and surprise exercises.  In an emergency, the electricity may be off.  You should also prepare a first aid kit and emergency supplies to meet your family’s needs for at least 3 days.  Have at least these emergency supplies on hand:

• Flashlight and extra batteries and/or a wind-up flashlight
• Portable, battery operated radio or television and extra batteries or wind-up models
• Matches in a waterproof container
• Water for drinking and household use (at least 1 gallon per person per day for at least 3 days)
• Ready-to-eat canned foods to last at least 3 days
• Manual can opener
• Peanut butter, crackers, granola bars and other high-energy foods and/or non-perishable ‘comfort’ foods
• Supply of prescription medication
• Disposable diapers, baby food, formula
• Supplies and special foods for seniors or family members (don’t forget your pets) with special needs
• Bleach (for disinfecting)
• Plastic bags and ties (for sanitation)
• Credit card and cash
• Personal identification
• An extra set of keys for house and car
• Blankets, changes of clothes/underwear in case you have to evacuate
• Important documents, such as your insurance policies – keep originals and/or in safe dry place such as a zipper bag that is easy to grab if you have to evacuate quickly

Put together a first aid kit containing these supplies:

• First aid manual
• Assortment of sterile adhesive bandages
• Sterile gauze pads
• Over-the-counter drugs (aspirin, ibuprofen, antidiarrheal medication, activated charcoal- used only as prescribed by doctor or poison control center)
• Antiseptic ointment
• Soap
• Latex or polyurethane single-use gloves (be aware many people have latex allergies)
• Thermometer
• Tongue depressors
• Tweezers, needles

Arrange for a friend or relative to serve as a point of contact in case your family members are separated in an emergency and make sure everyone has the correct phone number and area code.  It may still be possible to call long distance when local phone lines are down, you should select someone out-of-state to be your emergency contact.  Don’t forget to plan what you will do with your pets.  They won’t be permitted in public emergency shelters.

The Orleans County Health Department is also encouraging area churches to take a role in emergency preparedness.  Over the next few months we will be contacting clergy to invite them to develop a county wide church initiative for disaster recovery based on the Project Grace Church Handbook from West Virginia.  If you are interested in learning more, please contact Nola Goodrich-Kresse at 589-3162 or e-mail at ngoodrich@orleansny.com .

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