Northeast Georgia Animal Shelter Sets Date for Fall Rabies Clinic

As we have been telling you over the years, there is no cure for rabies either in pets or in people, but you can protect them and your family.

That’s why the Northeast Georgia Animal Shelter will be holding their fall rabies clinic next month on Saturday, October 12, from 10a to 2p at the shelter on Bear Creek Road in Lavonia.

This is the shelter’s second low-cost rabies clinics of the year.

There is no cure for rabies and the danger is not only for pets, but humans too, because if an infected dog or cat bites a human, the results can be deadly if a series of post-exposure vaccines are not administered in time.

Just last month, the Franklin County Health Department reported a confirmed case of rabies.

Franklin County Environmental Health Director Louis Korff said it happened the weekend of August 17 in the heart of Lavonia.

“A fox came up in the backyard of some folks on Vickery St.,” Korff said. “It was acting very aggressively and the homeowners rightfully and justifiably shot the fox. They called the police and I had them preserve the body of the fox. I gave the folks the standard precautionary measures and made sure that first and foremost there had been no human contact with the fox and they assured me there was not.”

Pet owners in the neighborhood were advised to have their pets vaccinated for rabies.

Korff said the incident is proof that a rabid wild animal can show up anywhere at anytime and it’s important to make sure your pets are protected.

“Again, we had a positive fox on Vickery St., but I assure you there are rabid animals out in those woods. We saw this one and there’s no telling how many we don’t see. So, stay away from wild animals, don’t feed your pets outside, and call me if you have any concerns with the wild animals you do see,” Korff advised.

Again, the rabies clinic is Saturday, October 12 at the Northeast Georgia Animal Shelter on Bear Creek Road in Lavonia from 10a to 2p.

You don’t have to be a resident of Franklin County to take advantage of the low-cost rabies shots.

The shelter reminds pet owners when you bring your pet, make sure cats are in a secure carrier and dogs are on a leash.