North Carolina laws and Clay County Ordinances require all owners of dogs and cats to have their animals vaccinated against rabies. Dogs and cats must have a current vaccination and the owner needs to keep documentation in a safe location in the event the animal is exposed to a rabid animal or bites a person. Rabies vaccination in North Carolina can only be administered by a veterinarian or a state certified vaccinator.

Vaccinations for pets provide an important barrier for people to stop the risk of rabies transmission. Currently the spread of rabies is moving across Western North Carolina in the wild animal population predominately in raccoons and skunks. The Clay County Health Department advises residents not to try to rescue or save baby animals even if they appear to have been abandoned. When a person comes in contact with a wild animal including baby

animals, that person is potentially at risk of contracting rabies which can be a fatal disease.

If you are bitten by an animal, or come in contact with its saliva, you may require immediate rabies post-exposure treatment. This consists of five shots given in the arm or the buttocks, over the period of a month. This treatment is 100% effective in preventing rabies if given early enough after the exposure and before symptoms develop. Once symptoms develop, in humans or animals, death is almost inevitable. If you have been exposed or bitten by an animal, seek immediate medical care and contact the Health Department.

All animal bites or contacts with animals suspected of having rabies must be reported to Clay County Health Department. Dogs and cats will be evaluated for current vaccination and be confined for 10 days for observation for rabies

symptoms. Never kill or destroy a dog or cat that has bitten a person. Wild animals will be euthanized and shipped to the state laboratory for rabies testing. Dogs and cats that die after biting someone must be immediately prepared to ship to the state laboratory for rabies testing Contact the Clay County Health Department to arrange sending the animal for testing.

The Clay County Health Department telephone number is 828-389-8052. After hours and on weekend, contact the Clay County Sheriff's Department at 828-3896354 and they will alert a staff person from the Health Department.

Remember to keep your dogs and cats current with rabies vaccinations, avoid contact with wild animals and report all bites and saliva exposure to the Clay County Health Department.