Rabies Vaccinations and Your Pets
(February 26, 2009)

Thanks to the efforts of the doctors at the Animal Care Center, you now have more than one option when it comes to vaccinating your dog for rabies. Most veterinarians in our area of Tennessee have been administering a rabies vaccine that protects dogs for 1 year. Residents of Franklin, Coffee, Grundy, Lincoln, and Moore counties now have the option of legally vaccinating their dogs with a rabies vaccine that will protect them for 3 years.

Your dog must be vaccinated with either a 1-year rabies vaccine or a 3-year rabies vaccine to be considered legally safe in the state of Tennessee. The 3-year vaccine is not recommended for cats due to potential side effects. If you are not sure which vaccine your pet has received in the past, please contact the veterinarian responsible for administering the vaccine. If you are unable to locate that information, it is recommended to have your dog revaccinated.

The consequences for not having you dog or cat properly vaccinated for rabies can be devastating. Rabies virus is carried by bats, raccoons, foxes, skunks, and free-roaming cats and dogs in our area. Last year, Franklin County Animal Control was required to seize and destroy pet dogs that were not properly vaccinated for rabies in Franklin County simply because of possible exposure to this disease. This consequence is emotionally difficult for all parties involved because a simple vaccination could have prevented the death of these animals.

Rabies is more common in this area than most people realize. The Tennessee State Health Department and the Center for Disease Control do not take reported cases lightly, because rabies can be transmitted to humans and is always fatal. Animals that are not properly vaccinated and have been exposed are almost always destroyed. Please protect you family and your pets and have them properly vaccinated for rabies.

One-year rabies vaccines will be given during the Franklin County Rabies Clinic in March. Three-year rabies vaccine is available at the Animal Care Center. Please be sure to mark your calendar. If you have any questions, please contact your veterinarian, or call Franklin County Animal Control at (931) 967-5389.

Thank you,
Amanda Curty, Franklin County Humane Society President and Animal Care Center Practice Manager
Jason Bradford, Franklin County Animal Control Director